People often ask us what their bag of cans is really worth. It’s a fair question, and the answer can be a bit different depending on the market, but if you get the hang of it, the math is dead simple. When you walk in and ask us, we’ll do our best to walk you through it.
The value of those aluminum cans is figured out by how much they weigh. We use a scale, and then multiply it by the current market rate. That rate is determined by how much mills and smelters are willing to pay for processed aluminum, and that goes up and down depending on what’s happening with the rest of the world. In a normal week, the rate can be anywhere from 40 to 75 cents a pound, but in really hot markets, it can be even higher & lower in slow ones.
An empty aluminum can weighs about 0.5 ounces. Which means that one pound is roughly equal to about 32 cans. So if you’ve got a bag of 200 cans, that’s about 6 pounds, which at 50 cents a pound would come out to around 3 bucks. Now, it might not be a fortune for one bag, but if you’re a family who’s been stockpiling cans all year, you can end up with a pretty nice check.
When you ask about the value of your cans here in Davenport, a few practical things come into play. Cans with a bit of moisture in them weigh a little more than dry ones, but any recycling yard worth its salt will factor that in because water isn’t worth anything. On the other hand, if your cans have been crushed and you’ve added in heavy objects like rocks or sand to make them heavier, we won’t be able to pay you for those. We just want clean, empty cans, and that’s what gets you the best price.
Some people have wondered whether selling your cans to a recycling yard is better than taking them to the deposit machine at a grocery store. It all depends on where you live and whether your state has a bottle bill. In Iowa, for instance, there’s a deposit program in place for certain types of beverage containers, which means you can get a 5 cent refund per can at a designated site. But selling by weight to a yard usually makes more sense if you’ve got cans that are not eligible for deposits or you’re dealing with a really big load.
We at Eco Way Recycle offer a fast, clean process, and a fair price. And our customers in Davenport usually fall into a few different categories. Some folks are just teaching their kids that saving & making money is a good thing, or saving up for a little treat. Every week, restaurants and pubs come in with a big load of cans, and some charities use can drives as a way to raise a few bucks. Each time you bring your cans in, we give you a quote just like that.
There are a few things you can do to get the most out of your cans. Just make sure they stay dry. It’s a lot easier to sort them out that way. Keep them in a clean bag or box and don’t go mixing in steel cans or other metals. Just sort them out. If you’ve got a really big load, ask us about our pickup service. We can usually set that up with a quick phone call.
The best way to find out what your cans are worth is to just bring them on in. We’ll weigh them out in front of you, and pay you in cash as long as you’re not dealing with a really big load in which case we may pay by check. The thing is, we never charge for the service, which is one reason why we’ve been able to build up a loyal customer base all over Davenport.
If you’re curious about the value of your aluminum cans in Davenport, the most accurate answer is probably to just come on down and see us this month. We’ll give you the lowdown, pay you in cash, and send you on your way with a smile.