There are many ways in which you can dispose of cans of soft drinks.
You just need to do some research to determine the rules and regulations of your neighborhood.
The best way to dispose of the cans is by recycling. However, you can also throw them in the trash.
If your neighborhood has curbside recycling bins, that makes it super easy for you to safely dispose of the cans. Additionally, it is better for the environment and keeps wildlife safe as well.
Here are the many ways in which you can dispose of cans of soft drinks.
Dispose of Soft Drink Cans in the Recycle Receptacle
Another great way to recycle your soft drink cans is by using the recycle receptacle supplied by the local council of your county.
All you need to do is squash the cans of soft drinks. Try to get them as flat as you possibly can. This helps in reducing the carbon footprint of the recycling process as they require less energy to recycle.
In turn, it helps you reduce your daily carbon footprint as well.
Reach Out to Your Local Grocery Store
Certain grocery stores around your city will have special recycling stations. These stations have been installed to encourage people to recycle their aluminum cans.
It is also an effort to reduce the amount of waste produced by people. The main reason it works well is that it stops people from throwing cans in the garbage bin.
The next time you do a grocery run, be sure to keep an eye out for these recycling stations. Try to make it a practice to shop from grocery stores that have a recycling station setup.
This will make it easier for you to recycle your cans of soft drinks. You are also more likely to collect and recycle the cans when you know of a simple and easy way to do it.
Send Soft Drink Cans to a Scrap Yard
Every city in every state has scrap yards dotted across it. These scrap yards are built to accept recyclable materials, including aluminum cans. You just need to look up your closest scrap yard and contact them.
It would be helpful if you first talked to somebody at the scrap yard. You should confirm if they are accepting aluminum cans before making the trip.
Once you receive the confirmation, you can then drive to the nearest scrap yard. Hand over your collected cans of soft drinks, and you can go back home satisfied at making a difference in the world!
Go to the Nearest Collection Center
Several states across America have established collection centers for the disposal of soft drinks cans. These collection centers are specifically created for the community to collect aluminum and other cans.
All you need to do is look up the aluminum collection center with your town name. It will show you a list of all the nearest collection centers that you can reach out to.
These collection centers encourage recycling and might even reward you for bringing in cans of soft drinks. Moreover, they usually have a website with easy-to-follow directions and Google Maps.
This ensures that you can easily navigate to the collection center without getting lost.
How to Make Money While Disposing Cans of Soft Drinks?
Did you know that you can even make money by disposing of cans of soft drinks?
In efforts to promote recycling, several states across America have established environmental protection laws. These laws allow people who recycle to earn some money as their personal reward.
The states that run this policy are known as ‘bottle bill’ states. These include:
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- Maine
- Michigan
- Oregon
- Hawaii
All of these are bottle bill states. Depending on which state you reside in, you can easily earn 5 – 10 cents per can of soft drink that you bring in for recycling.
This amount might seem minimal, but it can quickly add up. Just consider a situation in which you bring in a 12-pack of soda cans every week. You would easily receive $1.20 in return on a weekly basis!
Do it throughout the year, and that can accumulate into quite an amount. This is especially important when you consider the fact that you’re making money out of trash!
Recycle the Can
The best way to dispose of a can of soft drink is by recycling it. This is an excellent, eco-friendly practice that reduces your carbon footprint. It also allows you to lead a life of respect for the earth and nature.
By recycling, you play an essential role in reducing the huge amounts of trash produced daily by people.
Your soft drink cans won’t end up in the landfill like most trash. Therefore, you can rest easy knowing that you are reducing your contribution to the growing garbage problem in America.
Unlike most other kinds of materials, aluminum is a highly recyclable material. This means that your aluminum soft drink cans can easily be recycled without requiring extensive amounts of energy.
People often worry about having to take out time to sort their cans before they can be recycled. But you’ll be glad to know that, unlike plastic and cardboard, aluminum doesn’t need to be sorted.
Since aluminum cans are all essentially the same, you can just group them together. They can all be recycled at once. There is no need to separate them into different cans or bins.
You don’t even have to fret about coming across any non-recyclable cans!
In just three simple steps, you can recycle your soft drink cans. Let’s turn you into a responsible citizen of the world.
Steps to Recycle a Soft Drink Can
Collect the Cans
You should start by making it a regular practice to collect your cans. Instead of throwing them out once you’ve finished your drink, you can create a storage bin to keep all the soft drink cans.
Remember, it is easier to recycle several cans at one time. You don’t want to spend extra time individually recycling each can, after all!
So, save up a decent number of soft drink cans before you start the recycling process.
Clean Them Out
A great way to make the recycling process a lot simpler is by cleaning out the cans.
You should try to clean out each can as you collect it. This will save you the trouble of having to clean dozens of cans at one time when the recycling day finally arrives.
All you need to do is rinse out the soft drink cans. You can use hot water to do this, as it helps dissolve the sugar content of the soda. This ensures your cans are thoroughly cleaned and ready to be recycled.
Choose a Recycling Location
Once you’ve collected your soft drink cans and cleaned them well, there’s only one step left. You just need to decide where you will drop off the cans for effective recycling.
The quickest option available to most people is placing them in your recycling bins. The trash collectors will empty out the bins on the assigned day. Hence, your cans will be on their way to getting recycled.
On the other hand, you might live in an area that doesn’t offer curbside recycling facilities. If this is the case, you can reach out to the nearest collection center. Just drop off the cans there, and you’re done!
Other Alternatives to Soft Drink Can Disposal
Lastly, it is possible that you aren’t willing to make the trip to a recycling or collection center. Many people who don’t reside in bottle bill states also don’t find recycling worth the hassle.
After all, they end up spending time and fuel money in their efforts to recycle! It may be better for the environment, but perhaps they simply can’t afford it at the moment.
Here are some alternatives for people who can’t recycle their aluminum cans. All of these ideas ensure that the cans won’t be thrown in the trash, so they don’t end up clogging landfill sites.
Turn them into Pen Holders
This is a great idea to DIY with the kids on a rainy day.
You can collect soft drink cans all week and then turn them into pen holders to use around your home. You can place some on study desks, kitchen counters, etc.
The only thing you need to do is cut off the top of the can. Wash it well with soap and warm water. Then, you can get the kids to decorate the pen holders for a beautiful, crafty look!
Use as Protection for Seedlings
Any gardening enthusiast knows just how delicate seedlings are. They can be blown away by the wind, attacked by birds, etc. Why not use your soft drink cans to protect the seedlings?
You can protect them by planting them inside a sturdy soft drink can. Just remove both ends of the can and plant it in the soil. It will serve as a safety wall for your seedling.
Create Your Own Lantern
Cut off the top of the can and clean it out well. Then, you can cut out some slits into the sides of the can. Make sure they are curved properly, and add some decorative string inside the can.
You can then hang up these cans outside or around your living room. Place a tea light inside each can, and they will act as beautiful lanterns around your home!
Other articles you may also like:
