Are Popcorn Tins Recyclable?

  • By: greenorb
  • Date: July 2, 2021
  • Time to read: 4 min.

The holidays are all over and unfortunately, so is your tasty popcorn snack! Now, what can you do with the tin? Find out in this article whether you can recycle it or not!

Popcorn tins are recyclable! It doesn’t matter if they are coated with tin or not, you can recycle all metal popcorn containers.

Are you keen to find out how you can recycle your popcorn tins? Then stay tuned for more information on recycling the tins of our favorite sweet or savory snack!

What Type of Popcorn Tins Can Be Recycled?

Some people get in a muddle with recycling popcorn tins because they think that they are made of tin. Some popcorn tins are indeed layered with tin on the outside. But most aren’t made up of tin at all and are just made of steel. 

So what can we say about recycling a container that is partially made of steel and tin? Steel is a metal that you can recycle. It doesn’t matter if your popcorn tin is made up of a bit of tin or not, you can still recycle it. 

Popcorn Tin MaterialRecyclable or NotWhere to Recycle
SteelIn your recycle bin or at your local metal recycling center
TinIn your recycle bin or at your local metal recycling center
Steel and tinIn your recycle bin or at your local metal recycling center

What can you do if you don’t want to recycle the tin? Try one of the following. 

  • Use it to store something around the home
  • Use it to house a gift next Christmas

How to Recycle Popcorn Tins

When it comes to recycling popcorn tins, there is plenty that you can do with them. Here are some ways for you to recycle a popcorn tin. 

  • Pop it into your recycle bin
  • Take it to your local metal recycling center
  • Make something creative out of the tin. (Make sure you check out some of our funky ideas below!)
  • Use the tin to house a gift and give it away

Are you ready to check out these recycling tips in more detail? Then let’s get started!

Recycle Bin

Popcorn tins are normally made of steel and sometimes a little tin. This makes them the perfect candidates for you to place in your home recycling bin. 

What should you do to prepare your tin for recycling collection? The following simple things. 

  1. Remove from the tin any food or plastic
  2. Place the popcorn tin in the recycle bin

Metal Recycling Center

What if you don’t have a recycling bin? Don’t worry, as you won’t have to let your popcorn tin go to waste. Why not collect all your tins and take them to your local metal recycling center at the end of the holidays?

Here’s what most recycling centers will require from you when you recycle your tins. 

  1. Remove from the tin any food or plastic
  2. Take the tin to your local metal recycling center

Get Creative

Now I know what you’re thinking. How on earth can you get creative with a popcorn tin? But there are so many things you can do to make yours more than just another food container that you’ll never use.

Here are some things you can do with your popcorn tin. 

  1. Line it with a plastic bag and use it as a trash can
  2. Use it to store baubles, ribbon, fairy lights, and other decorations for the holidays
  3. Use it to house flour, grains, and pulses that you buy in bulk at the supermarket. The air-tight lids will give your food fresh and free from pests.
  4. Store wood chips, kindling, and everything you need for fire-starting
  5. Make it the go-to home for your first aid kit supplies

Give It as a Gift

Another nice way to recycle your popcorn tins is to jazz them up with gifts then pass them on to friends. Here are some instances in which you could give a popcorn tin as a gift. 

  • If you are looking for the perfect container to house an assortment of mini gifts
  • If you are looking for a beautiful way to share some tasty homemade treats with a friend
  • Or you think that someone you know could find the tin useful to keep their things organized. Why not give it to them?

Conclusion

Once we’ve gotten through the holiday snacks we often find ourselves lumbered with more tins and containers than we’ve got room to store. All this excess may have you wondering what you should do with your popcorn tins. I hope this article has shown you just how easy it is for you to recycle yours. 

Have you found this article helpful? Then make sure you check out some of the other free guides that we have on our website!

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