Recycling not only benefits the environment; recycling certain items can also benefit your pocketbook by providing you with extra spending money. The easiest items to recycle for money are aluminum cans and plastic bottles, which can be turned in at recycling centers that pay you by the weight or number of items turned in. Read below the jump to learn what you need to know to recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles to earn cash.
Know which states and countries have bottle deposit laws. The first U.S. state to enact bottle deposit legislation was Oregon in 1971, at the direction of then-governor Thomas Lawson McCall. Bottle deposit laws place a value on each beverage container sold; consumers pay the deposit when they buy the beverage and can return the empty container to reclaim the deposit. In practice, however, many people discard the containers, so by collecting them, you can turn them in yourself for the deposit money.
For a current list of the states that have bottle deposit laws and what items they take, see http://www.bottlebill.org/legislation/usa/allstates.htm.
For a list of countries outside the United States that have bottle deposit laws, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation.
Locate nearby deposit and recycling centers. Recycling centers, which pay for aluminum cans by weight, are usually located on the grounds of firms that deal in scrap metal or paper. (Those located on the grounds of paper dealers often pay for old paper, as well.) Deposit centers, which pay money for aluminum cans and plastic bottles by the number of containers, are found on or near the grounds of supermarkets and beverage stores, either within the store or adjacent to it.
Most deposit centers have a limit as to how many containers a person or group may turn in per day. Limits range from as few as 48 to as many as 500, with 144 to 150 being among the most common.
Know what items are accepted at deposit centers. All the states with bottle deposit laws will accept aluminum cans and plastic bottles used to hold carbonated beverages (beer and soda pop), while some states may take containers for such non-carbonated beverages as wine, liquor or bottled water. In addition, most store-based deposit centers will redeem only containers of the brands they sell at their location.
Recently, a number of deposit centers are also requiring that certain beverage containers bear a stamp indicating that the item came from that store or the distributor who wholesaled the beverage to that store.
Cans and bottles are usually required to be clean, empty, relatively intact and able to stand upright. It is possible to straighten bent cans by inserting a wooden or metal rod into the can and pushing out against the sides of the can. (Don't push hard enough to tear the can's sides, however.) Plastic bottles can be straightened in the same fashion or by blowing air into them.
Look for labels showing that the can or bottle is a deposit container. Aluminum cans are labeled as deposit containers either by having the label stamped into the container top or printed on the bottom. Bottles have the information printed on the neck or side labels and sometimes directly on the bottle or the side of its cap.
Remember, if a can or bottle lacks a deposit identifier, you can still recycle it, either by taking it to a recycling center or through your city's curbside recycling program.
Gather a sufficient number of cans and bottles. Turning in a few pounds of aluminum cans or a 6- or 12-pack of plastic soda bottles at a time won't earn you much money, and you'll likely spend more in fuel costs turning them in than you make. Try to gather at least the maximum number of deposit containers that a deposit center accepts and/or several garbage bags full of non-deposit aluminum cans; you can always visit more than one deposit center to turn everything in, if necessary.
While gathering aluminum cans and plastic bottles, you can store the containers in your garage or basement during the winter or outside in good weather. But be aware that the sugar in the soda residue in the containers will attract ants, bees and wasps.
Separate deposit from non-deposit containers. Aluminum cans and plastic bottles with deposit identifiers go to the deposit center, aluminum cans without a deposit identifier go to an aluminum recycling center and plastic bottles without deposit identifiers go into your recycling bin.
Non-deposit aluminum cans can be crushed so they take up less space and so you can turn more of them in at a given time in fewer bags than if you didn't crush them. Deposit cans will not usually be accepted if crushed, however.
Separate deposit cans from deposit bottles. Most deposit centers require cans and bottles to be separated from each other. Bottles can be placed in cardboard boxes or plastic milk crates, while aluminum cans need to be placed on cardboard flats, the shallow boxes in which cans are delivered to the grocery store. These flats usually hold 24 cans apiece, which will help you count the number of containers you have and get a rough idea of how much money you'll get when you cash in.
Most deposit centers have a number of empty flats on which you can organize your cans before you turn them in. You can also get flats in advance to organize your cans before you go.
Store-brand deposit containers can be turned in only at the deposit center of the store that sells the product. Keep these cans and bottles separate from the national brands you turn in at another store's deposit center.
Turn your cans and bottles in. It helps to know in advance how many cans and bottles you're turning in, as many deposit centers will ask you how many containers you have instead of counting them for you. Any cans or bottles the store doesn't sell will be returned to you, along (usually) with your emptied flats and boxes. You may either be paid at the center itself or given a receipt to take to the store to receive your money.
Can I recycle plastic caps on the water bottles?
Yes, they are ok to recycle.
Do they take glass bottles?
How do I get my mom to let me do this?
Tell her that you're helping the environment and making money at the same time.
I am in Miami, FL and I have saved a lot of bottles while teaching my son to recycle, but I can't find a place to take them. Can someone tell me where to go?
Try Snapper Creek Trash & Recycling Center at 2200 SW 117th Ave.
How much are Pepsi and water bottles worth?
It depends on your location. The brand of the bottle does not matter, though the size may be relevant.
Should I smash my water bottles while collecting them?
No. It is much easier to leave them as normal, and if it is too damaged they will not take it.
Can I recycle crushed cans for money?
It depends on how severe the damage is, they might take them, they might not.
Can I sell glass bottles? How much can I make off of them if I can?
It depends on what state you are in; some states give you more money for the glass, but others don't even let you return them.
Do they take flattened down water bottles?
It depends on how bad the damage is. They won't take them if they are crushed to the point that they cannot read the barcodes.
I have found mostly beer cans while I have been out picking up trash in my area. Are they also recyclable?
Yes, beer cans and bottles are recyclable.
Does anybody know where in Virginia, mainly the 757 area, where they pay you for plastic water bottles?
Does Florida near Fort Walton recycle glass bottles and plastic bottles that pay. Like the scrap yard and what business except them?
Do they take empty plastic Boost bottles?
Do I need to remove the level from the plastic bottle?
Does Colorado have this practice of collecting plastic bottles?
Collecting deposit aluminum cans and plastic bottles can be a good way for organizations to raise money. Several people can gather and turn in deposit containers and non-deposit aluminum cans at one time, increasing the amount the organization can earn at one time.
You can also use the ring pulls as a bracelet use the holes and put wool through them, which offers an added means of generating income from recyclables.
If you live in a state nearby a state that has a bottle deposit law, it is important to remember that it is strictly illegal to cross that state's border and attempt to turn in your collected beverage containers. If you attempt to commit this type of fraud, you may face paying fines ranging anywhere from $100 to $25,000, imprisonment or both.
To recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles for cash, start by researching what items are accepted at your local deposit center. Then, collect as many cans and bottles you can, count them, and separate them by type. To get paid, just bring in your separated cans and bottle and tell the teller how many items you have. The center will then return any items that don’t fit their guidelines and pay you. For more on recycling to earn cash, like how to tell if your bottles are recyclable, read on!
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