Recycling For Money: What You Can Recycle And How Much Cash You Can Earn

Your search for spare change has come to an end, and it’s closer than you think. It's in your trash! Every week roughly 100 million Americans place their recycling bins curbside. However, it’s time you reconsider what you toss because you could be missing out on a profit or tax deduction. Typically, it can be time-consuming to earn extra cash, but it takes little effort to keep certain money-making items out of a landfill.

Read on to learn how much money you can make off your everyday items.

How Does Recycling For Money Work?

Recycling for money can be a decent side hustle, as numerous people and programs will gladly exchange cash, or other forms of payment, for what would otherwise end up in a landfill. Many items can be broken down to make other products or refurbished and reused entirely. Even though recycling for money may not be enough for you to leave your full-time job, the small amounts add up. Libuse Binder, author of “Get Money for Recycling,” suggests if you’re located in a state with a bottle bill, you could make 10 – 50 cents per plastic bottle.

What Can I Recycle For Money?

There are several items that you can recycle in exchange for money. However, these items and their prices may vary depending on where you’re located.

Recycling Cans For Money

According to the Aluminum Association, aluminum cans have the most value per ton of recyclable materials. Unlike glass or plastic, aluminum is a lightweight and durable object, which decreases the cost of transportation. The iScrap app, a domestic site that provides market information on scrap metal, reveals that the national average for aluminum cans is 50 cents per pound. That is a 25-cent increase from last year’s national average. Scrap Monster, another national scrap metal site, states the lowest prices for aluminum cans are 5 cents per pound and the highest amount paid is $2 per pound.

Various types of cans are accepted, such as …

• Soda cans
• Canned food
• Beer cans
• Deodorant spray cans

Recycling Plastic And Glass Bottles For Money

Glass and plastic bottles can be exchanged for money, some states even have a system. To reduce litter, 10 states and Guam have bottle bills, which is a deposit-refund method to gather containers for recycling. These 10 states include California, Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, Hawaii, Michigan, Maine, New York, Oregon and Connecticut. Here’s how it works; a customer pays a small deposit when purchasing a beverage. Then, the consumer returns the empty bottle to the store to get a refund.

Based on the National Conference of State Legislature, deposits can range from 2 cents to 15 cents.

Recycling Cardboard And Paper For Money

As reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, “the average American moves 11.7 times in their life.” Therefore, people are always looking for opportunities to get their hands on cardboard boxes. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I know we all have a ton laying around. Generally, the amount you can make off your cardboard boxes will depend on their size and condition. There are several websites like www.usedcardboardboxes.com and www.boxcycle.com that let you sell your boxes without a hassle.

On the same note, recycling paper can be easy as well. Follow these simple steps below to make the most of your paper recycling.

• Find a recycling center:com is a site that helps people find local recycling centers. Turns out the nearest recycling center to me is 3.4 miles away – how convenient is that?
• Start collecting: Paper comes in various forms such as printing paper, stock paper, phone books, catalogs, the list could go on. So, keep an eye out for things in your house that you no longer need.
• Stay organized: Keep in mind that you’ll be collecting large amounts of paper, therefore it will be helpful to you and the collector to have the items organized based on the type. For instance, keep the magazines with magazines and pile newspapers in their categories.

Recycling Electronics For Money

If you have old and unused electronics collecting dust, it’s time to exchange them for money or the latest upgrade. Companies like SellCell and Maxback want to pay you for your unwanted tech devices. Be sure to back up your contacts, photos and other important information before turning in your item.

Recycling Scrap Metal For Money

There are many uses for refurbished scrap metal like building automobiles, aircraft, appliances and bridges. As stated on Scrap Monster’s website, CPU processors can earn someone up to $20 per pound. In addition, someone can make $2.10 per pound from copper tubing. The earnings vary based on the metal type.

Recycling Car Batteries For Money

Check with your local automotive parts store to discover how much you can earn for exchanging your car batteries for money. AutoZone has a recycling program that will grant you a $10 store gift card for turning in your battery.

Recycling Ink Cartridges For Money

Ink cartridges make great recyclables because they can be filled with ink again for reuse. The website www.inkrecycling.org provides easy online recycling, all you must do is enter the type of ink cartridge, download a free shipping label and you’ll receive a check in the mail. Staples offers $2 in recycling awards for toner cartridges.

Recycling Wine Corks For Money

When opening a new bottle of wine, save the cork! Recycled corks can be used for crafts, floor tiles, and sports equipment. Etsy, a site widely used by crafters, can be a great place to sell your wine corks. You can easily take a picture of a wine cork and list it for a flat rate of 20 cents.

How Much Can I Get From Recycling?

Ultimately, it is possible to earn passive income by recycling or exchanging recyclable items. Below are some earning estimates for the examples discussed above.

• Cans: Let’s do some math, the maximum amount you can earn from cans is $2. So, $2 a week for 1 pound of aluminum cans, can leave you with an extra $104 a year!
• Bottle bills: Be sure to check to see if your state has deposit laws because you could be missing out on a refund. Kristen Pope, contributor of “Don’t Throw Away These 7 Things. You Can Recycle Them for Money” mentioned, “California generally offers 5 cents for plastic and glass bottles less than 24 ounces, and 10 cents for bottles and containers larger than 24 ounces.” Pope also says in Michigan there’s a 10 cents per bottle rate. Check your local area for your exact deposit-refund amount.
• Store credit: Some brands offer perks when you turn in electronic recyclables, that you haven’t used in a while. Samsung’s Trade-in program offers up to $700 on limited smartphones, including Samsung and Apple products.

Keep in mind that you may receive payment in the form of gift cards or tax deductions.

Where Can I Recycle Cans, Plastic Bottles, Etc. For Money Near Me?

Some companies will pay for your trash! Find local recycling centers and programs that can help you eliminate waste. Here are some places to check out:

• TerraCycle: This is a national company that offers a free recycling program, which is funded by brands worldwide, to help you gather items that are hard to recycle. The process is easy, start by selecting a program to join, then gather the waste from your home, workplace or school. TerraCycle provides a free shipping label, so waste can be sent to the company. Those who participate have the chance of winning rewards for nonprofits of their choice.
• Recyclebank: A New York-based company that offers awards to increase environmental awareness. Members can use their “Recyclebank points” toward ecological goods or local businesses.
• Bottle return centers: Usually small businesses that offer to pay the value of an empty bottle container.
• Electronic buy-back programs: Major retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, Samsung and Amazon have buy-back programs that allow you to earn store credit, gift cards or cash for old electronics. Participants must be 18 years or older to take part in Best Buy’s program.

The Bottom Line: Does Recycling Pay?

When it comes to recycling for money, look around you! You may be ignoring old items that can be your gateway to passive income. Not only will you be benefiting yourself, but you’ll be helping the environment by making it easier for companies to refurbish items and reduce waste.

Want some extra help staying on top of your expenses? You can easily create and track your budget using Rocket Money, now available on mobile app or web. Rocket Money will even scan your expenses for you and negotiate bills to help you save.