Recycling guides
Straight answers to the questions people have before they load the car.
- Bottle Deposit Laws by State: Which States Pay You to Recycle (and How Much)Ten U.S. states have bottle bills that refund 5 to 15 cents per container. See the deposit in each state, what counts, and how to get your money back.
- How Much Do Recycling Centers Pay? Cans, Bottles, Scrap Metal and MoreWhat recycling centers actually pay for cans, bottles, copper, aluminum and other scrap, why prices change, and how to get the most for your material.
- Scrap Metal 101: Ferrous vs Non-Ferrous, the Magnet Test, and How to Sell ItLearn how to tell steel from aluminum, copper and brass with a magnet, how to sort a scrap load, what yards ask for, and how to find a buyer near you.
- What You Can't Recycle: 15 Common Mistakes That Contaminate the BinPlastic bags, greasy pizza boxes, batteries and more: the items people most often put in recycling by mistake, and where they should go instead.
- How to Recycle Batteries Safely: Alkaline, Lithium-Ion and Car BatteriesWhich batteries can go in the trash, which never should, how to prevent fires, and where to drop off household, rechargeable and car batteries.
- Recycling Center vs Transfer Station vs Scrap Yard vs MRF: What's the Difference?Not every place that handles recycling is open to you. Learn what each facility type does, who it serves, and which one you actually need.