2 million cans

justruth

KrazyKel, the clubcard points are given for aluminium cans. Pet food tins and pepsi brand cans are all made of steel. You can still collect and exchange these at some scrap merchants, however the price per kilo for steel is much lower than for aluminium.

KrazyKel

Ohh Ok then! nevermind haha!

mostlycheerful

Rock on tin-can-Curt Stan-the-can-man! Curt had 124 gold bars, Gordon set up a foundation to help other people, keep up the good work, more power to your elbow...

jcorbygas

Good luck in your task - this might spur you on - in the early 60's my father was an engineer but his aim was to be a commercial airline pilot - doing the training was a very expensive matter and although my grandparents helped out he tried to get money in any way he could so he started collecting glass bottles where there was a deposit back - he picked them up from wherever he could and one morning was stopped by a curious man - my father told him why he was doing this, and the man was a writer for the Telegraph who wrote an article on my father and money was given him by the Telegraph - so with this money my father completed his training, became a pilot and ultimately a captain, and now has 3 houses including one in Barbados (but has never given me or my sister a penny) so never worry about what other people think of you - do whatever you have to to succeed.

justruth

Total now up to 270 cans. Still a way to go, but if I don't do something I panic and worry about money. Got a lot of other work to do this week that needs completing, which has to be the priority.

justruth

Not that I am mercenary, but having just read the news about the toxic sludge that is the waste material from extracting aluminium from raw mining material in Hungary, I am feeling optimistic about the potential price of used beverage cans. Best get out collecting!

patman99

I believe it was me who started the original thread.
My advice is to forget about Novelli's, and find a good local scrappy. Almost all scrapyards sell-on to the highest bidder (usually Chinese).

If you google 'current scrap prices' you will find a link to a UK website that lists all the average prices for every type of recycled material.

Personally, I own a large van, so collect both Aluminium & steel cans, as well as electrical flex, copper piping, old bits of brass etc.

Very occassionally I get a call from a friend with some scrap to clear. This year, the van has paid its way with the scrap I have moved.

I would def. invest in a heay duty can crusher, as you will fit loads more cans in your bags.

Some of the stuff I have collected this year include an 8 ft steel radiator, 6 steel-framed chairs, 4 tables and an old drum bbq + stand from the local Scout HQ, plus a washing machine, some corragated steel sheeting, 2 petrol gokart chassis's and an ariel from a friend.

As long as I can keep this up, I can run my van as well as my car, and with my friend bringing me both his and his sisters' tin cans, the pile continues to grow.

justruth

Thank you very much patman99, I believe you probably were!

I have pulled apart my old broken down washer, it has taken forever, didn't want to admit to it till I completed it. I was seriously disappointed with the return on the blood, sweat and tears (and if I'm honest a lot of foul language!). On the plus side I didn't have to pay for it to be removed.

I really appreciate the advice, you are indeed a current inspiration!

May I ask, what do you do about cleaning them all? Latest issue is the gf being more than a little unhappy about the cans, and as they are stored in the flat I have to make sure they are properly cleaned so they don't leave a mess, attract flies and generally smell bad.

patman99

I must admit that as mine are in the back of my van they don't get cleaned (apart from the food cans, as these get rinsed-out with the washing-up water).

I don't bother breaking-up washing machines, the time taken to retrieve the stainless steel drum is too long in comparison to it's scrap value. If you also remove the concrete block, you will be losing £1.40 in scrap weight.

With copper cable, the difference in value between clean & shrouded is only 10-15%, and again, to strip the insulation off is very time consuming and very hard work. The easiest way to remove the insulation is to drop the cable into a steel tub, cover with cellulose thinners, seel the tub and leave overnight. The thinners soften the insulation and it comes-off like putty.

Do you have a shed or garage as part of your flat?, I only ask as it is not very nice having bags of crushed cans stacked-up in the space in which you live, and if you rent, your ll may take offence if s/he finds-out. I live in a flat, but if I hadn't got a van (bought for a business venture that failed) I wouldn't be collecting scrap.

Frozenace

In Germany, with the deposit on cans and bottles, you can literally make 8 - 20 Euro cents per can/bottle respectively.

In fact, in Hamburg, you deliberately get asked for your empty cans/bottles because people leave them in the U-bahn.