Thank you for taking the time to read this Frequently Asked Recycling Questions page before calling us.
Here you’ll find answers to questions people ask most often about recycling bottles & cans, scrap metal and more.
The simple answer is if the label says: ‘10c refund at collection depots when sold in SA’ then you will receive 10 cents refund on that container.
Take a look at the container deposit refund page for more details and examples of beverage containers that qualify.
Lids MUST be removed from all plastic bottles before they can be recycled, and we ask that you do this BEFORE bringing them into our recycling depot.
Once the bottles leave our yard they go into a press and the plastic bottles are squeezed at extremely high pressure into a big block. If the lids aren’t removed the bottles either don’t crush down and the blocks fall apart or the pressure caught inside can make the bottles explode.
No you don’t. The rings have no adverse effect on the recycling of the container and are actually made from the same type of plastic as the bottle, so therefore do not need to be removed.
The best way to bring in your bottles and cans is in strong plastic bags or cardboard boxes that are not too heavy. If the containers are separated into different groups (i.e. cans, glass, plastic) we will get them counted quicker than if they are all mixed.
With many people buying, filling and bringing in large garden wheelie bins, Pooraka Recycling Depot have installed ‘wheelie bin’ lifters, so we can empty the contents out on a conveyor for fast sorting and counting.
Please DO NOT have your containers loose in your boot.
Yes we do accept crushed cans.
However when we count cans we separate soft drink and beer cans into different containers as they go to different companies.
Crushed cans are harder to recognise. So if you plan to crush your cans please place soft drinks in one bag and beer cans in another. This will help us count your order much quicker.
Yes aluminium crushed cans can be redeemed for 10 cents at our Adelaide Recycling Centre.
However we ask you not to because it makes identifying and separating beer cans from soft drink cans much harder as they go to different places to be recycled.
The other reason is when cans are crushed in a bail, all the cans lock in to each other. Cans already crushed don’t lock in as well and can cause the bail to collapse, so please do not crush cans, you’ll be helping the recycling process and make counting much quicker, so you’ll be paid faster and on your way sooner.
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.
Secondly, and most importantly for the recycling process, if you crush cans they don’t wrap into each other as well when thousands are compressed into a bail. This can cause the bail to collapse. Recycling is an expensive process, so you can help keep the refund price at 10 cents by not crushing cans that qualify for the governments 10 cent refund scheme.
All beverage aluminium cans that qualify for the 10 cent refund under container deposit legislation are marked with ’10c refund at collection depots when sold in SA’ on the can. So to make $100, you will need to return 1,000 aluminium cans for recycling to the Adelaide Recycling Centre.
Yes you do.
At the recycling centre Adelaide customers have visited for over 30 years, even though wine bottles do not qualify for the 10 cent refund scheme, you will be paid $.01 per wine bottle.
Many of our regular customers collect wine bottles in cardboard boxes and bring them in when they bring in their other glass, plastic and cardboard beverage containers that do qualify. Instead of throwing them away, it’s better for the environment to recycle them, and why not receive money for them at the same time.
Yes, spirit bottles can be recycled. Not only will you be helping the environment by recycling them, you will also make money too. Even though spirit bottles don’t qualify under the container deposit legislation, if you bring them in to our recycling centre, we will pay $0.01 per glass spirit bottle.
Yes, at Adelaide Recycling Centre, wine bottles can be recycled for money. You will receive $0.01 for each wine bottle.
It all adds up at the end of a year, you’ll be surprised how many wine bottles you’ve collected and how much money you’ll make by recycling glass bottles.
The quickest way for us to process your cans and glass is if they are repacked into their boxes of 12, 24, 30 etc. This doesn’t apply for a lot of containers which are purchased singularly, but anything purchased in bulk and repacked into its original box won’t need to be tipped out and counted by hand, making your visit much quicker.
Yes we certainly do. We pay for scrap steel plus non-ferrous metals such as copper too.
Please see our scrap metal recycling page for more details on metal items you can turn into cash, including the kitchen sink!
The current price for scrap steel is displayed on our scrap metal prices page and updated regularly. As the market fluctuates, the price for scrap steel is adjusted so you are paid the best possible price.
Take a look at the scrap metal recycling page for more details on metal items you can turn into cash.
The price for scrap steel per kilo is displayed on our scrap metal prices page and updated regularly. As the market price for steel changes, the price for scrap steel per kg is adjusted so you receive the best possible price.
The price of scrap copper per kilo is worth the most money. This is due to the amount that’s used in our society and the cost of mining and processing copper into products such as pipes and wire.
The metal items you have, you don’t need anymore are the best things to scrap for money. Many people collect car batteries, broken fridges and whitegoods, even lead that is found on the road fallen off of wheels that have been balanced are all items you can scrap for money by taking them to an Adelaide recycling centre.
Take a look at the list of metal items you can scrap for money.
Yes we do, and truck batteries too!
Please see our scrap metal recycling page for more details.
Yes you can.
It costs you money to dump fridges and other whitegoods, so why not bring it in and get paid cash for it.
The price paid is the weight of the fridge X the current price for scrap steel per kilo.
An example is if your fridge weighs 80 kg and the scrap steel price is $0.07 you will receive $5.60 cash.
Many of our customers bring in their 10 cent refund bottles and cans for recycling at the same time they bring in fridges, other whitegoods and other scrap metal. It all adds up to extra cash in your pocket for items you’ve collected or no longer need.
Yes. Washing machines, fridges and freezers, in fact anything made of metal!
Please see the scrap metal recycling page for more examples.
Yes you can. We can swap them over or you can just buy one outright.
Yes you can, as long as it has the standard valve.
