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Aluminium cans worth 1p each

Sorry if posted before.

Has anyone thought of collecting aluminum cans.

They are worth approx 1p each.

I take a carrier bag everywhere with me, and pick up drinks cans, stand on them flat, and store them in black bin liners.

If you look up aluminum recycling, sometimes there is a collection service, but they will only collect at least 6 bags.

Not sure if scrap yards will take them, but worth phoning round to find out.

One ton of squashed cans is worth approx £650.

(Carling cans are always steel)

Could anyone advise a way of removing the tops off the steel cans, as they are nearly always aluminium?
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Comments

  • aliasojo
    aliasojo Posts: 23,053
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    I used to do this a while back. We have a depot nearby where the cans can be weighed and handed in.

    I stopped after a while though, as you needed millions of cans to get anything decent back money wise and the smell from the bags of cans was awful. We had black bags crammed in the shed and couldn't get anything else in.

    We used to walk about with a little magnet in our pockets and test any can we spotted, lol.

    Great idea if you have space and can stand the smell. :D
    Herman - MP for all! :)
  • spidystrider
    spidystrider Posts: 1,246
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    I can imagine it must take ages to get enough cans to get any decent money back. When I was a child my mum would embarrass me because she would always pick up the juice bottles that you could get money back on. She was a real money saver, but then she really did have to make a small amount of money go a long way!
    Mortgage Free in 3-T2 : Started at £151,000 Nov. 2009 Mortgage Free Oct 1st 2015 :)
  • Glad
    Glad Posts: 18,857
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    I'm moving this to 'old style' because I think here is the best place for nuttynik to get an answer to his query,

    but Cathy please feel free to move it on if you think best ;D
    I am a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Wales, Small Biz MoneySaving, In My Home (includes DIY) MoneySaving, and Old style MoneySaving boards. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313
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    mm, don't fancy the smell, but do the money. see loads walking kids to school
  • Murtle
    Murtle Posts: 4,154
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    surely you can spray them with vinegar to get rid of the smell???

    Cathy please tell me it will work ;)
  • 16011996
    16011996 Posts: 8,313
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    appantley not myrtle. :(
  • DSmiffy
    DSmiffy Posts: 791
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    Do the places that take recycled aluminium cans still pay cash?. I remember a scheme that did that a while back. Do they still do it and what is the going rate at the moment. Does anyone know?
    Thanks
  • SnowyOwl_2
    SnowyOwl_2 Posts: 5,257
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    Gosh, this reminds me of someone who used to live in NW London near where I lived some years ago. I never went into his house but from the outside you could see cans stacked up at every window, and all outside in his garden and drive. Cans everywhere, a complete and utter eyesore (though not smelly!). I don't know what happened to him, his house was one day cleared and he was gone.

    Bizarrely he turned up on Blind Date on one of their "oldies" specials. He actually seemed quite nice...but his house...ughhhh!! Any woman would run a mile if they saw that mess!
  • I always take my can's to the recycling skip nearby, but I'm not sure if it's just for alluminiun only, well anyway I've put plenty of steel carling can in it in the past. Have I done wrong when thinking I was being environmental friendly???? :confused:
    became debt free December 06
  • Katgoddess
    Katgoddess Posts: 1,821
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    I always take my can's to the recycling skip nearby, but I'm not sure if it's just for alluminiun only, well anyway I've put plenty of steel carling can in it in the past. Have I done wrong when thinking I was being environmental friendly???? :confused:

    They sort them out when they get to the depot with a large electromagnet. I don't know what they do with the steel afterwards.
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