Do Recyclers Take Crushed Cans?

Long-time recyclers have always been told to crush their aluminum cans. ... For those of you can recyclers who are part of a multiple-stream recycling program (sorting your cans in separate bins), feel free to crush away. But if all your recycling is tossed into one bin, keep your cans intact.

Is it OK to crush cans for recycling?

Is it better to crush cans for recycling? No it is not. Soft drink cans and beer cans are sent back to the respective companies for recycling. If cans are crushed it takes longer to identify and sort the cans, so you'll be waiting longer to be paid.

Is it better to crush cans before recycling?

Most of us do just chuck cans straight in the mixed recycling, mind you, so the general rule remains: do not crush your cans. Leave them as they are, put them in the recycling bin, and praise yourself for a job well done. Just remember to wash your recycling while you're at it.