Can You Recycle Tuna Cans?

  • By: greenorb
  • Date: August 20, 2022
  • Time to read: 4 min.

Have you just finished tucking into a scrumptious can of tuna but aren’t sure what to do to dispose of it? Then you’ll find out can you recycle tuna cans in this article. 

You can recycle tuna cans in your home recycling waste. Just make sure that the can is clean and dry. You can even recycle the lid by leaving it partially attached to the can. 

How can you prepare a tuna can for recycling at home? We’re going to delve into all things tuna recycling in this article so make sure you check it out. 

What Can I Do With Empty Tuna Cans?

Do you have a couple of empty tuna cans at home that you would like to do something with? Throwing them in your general waste bin will mean that they end up in a landfill. 

But a landfill is no place for something as valuable as a tuna can! There are so many things you can do with them. But let’s start with the basics, disposing of tuna cans. 

Here’s what you should do. 

  1. Keep the lid attached to the tuna can
  2. Empty the tuna can
  3. Rinse it
  4. Dry the can
  5. Put the can in your home recycling waste (you can leave the paper label on). Alternatively, you can take the cans to your local metal recycling center.

Are you feeling creative? Then there are so many innovative ways of upcycling your tin cans. 

These can help you turn something you would throw away into something that you can use. Here is a list of our favorite tin can upcycling ideas. 

But for more inspiration, check out this upcycling video with 3 great ideas. 

  • Perforate the base of the cans, remove the lids and turn them into mini plant pots
  • Remove the lids to make tealight holders
  • Fill them with bird seed to make a birdfeeder
  • Paint a selection of them and then hang them to make a windchime

Can a Tuna Recycle?

We all love opening a can of tuna to make a quick tuna lunch or dinner that is full of protein. 

But we can also do our bit to help the environment by recycling our tuna cans after we have finished using them. 

Are you not sure how to recycle your tuna cans? Then here are a few simple steps that will help. 

  1. To recycle a can of tuna, first, empty the can. Do not separate the lid from the can.
  2. Rinse the can and then dry it
  3. Put the can in your home recycling bin or take it to your local metal recycling center (you do not need to remove the label from the can)
Can a Tuna Recycle?

As you can see, we put a little emphasis there on not separating the tuna can lid from the can. Why? Because when the lid remains attached to the can, they will be recycled together. 

But once separated from the can, we can no longer guarantee that the lid will be recycled. If the lid is already completely detached from the can, push it inside the can so that they stay together.

What if you want to recycle the can of tuna but don’t want to throw it away? Then you can try upcycling the can into a mini plant pot, a candle holder, a bird feeder, or even collect a few to make a wind chime.

How Do You Recycle Tin Cans at Home?

Do you have a couple of tin cans that you want to recycle? Preparing the cans for recycling couldn’t be easier. 

Here is everything that you’ll need to do: 

  1. Keep the lid attached to the tin. (If the lid is already detached, rinse the lid and then push it inside the can).
  2. Scrape the tin clean
  3. Wash the tin and then dry it (you do not need to remove the label from the tin)
  4. Put it in your home recycling bin

In most counties, you can put tin cans in the same recycling bin where you put your plastic bottles and other recyclables. 

But if you have a dedicated metal recycling bin at home, you should put it in there. You can then leave your recycling out for normal curbside collection.

Final Thoughts

Tuna makes a great snack at lunchtime and is also tasty when incorporated into dinner. 

But what should you do with the can once you’ve emptied the can? Can you recycle tuna cans?

This article has helped us to see that you can recycle tuna cans. To do so, scrape the can clean, rinse it, dry it and then put it in your home recycling waste. 

If you have quite a few cans, you can also take them down to your local metal recycling center where they will be happy to take them off of your hands.  

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