Keys

Put in Recycling Cart/Bin

Keys without electronic or plastic components are scrap metal and can be placed in your recycling cart.

electronic-car-key

Car Keys Are Often E-Waste

Car keys with remote functions are electronic. Any item that contains electronic parts needs to be disposed of with e-waste.

plastic-key

Throw Out if Covered in Plastic

If the key itself isn’t electronic but is covered in plastic, throw it away. Plastic is a contaminant for scrap metal recycling.

Ways to Reuse

curtains

Use as Hanging Weights

Around the house, sometimes it’s difficult to keep curtains or tablecloths orderly. Try sewing a few old keys along the edge of a curtain or tablecloth to keep them in place on a windy day.

Decorative Purposes

There are a number of crafty ways to reuse keys. For instance, keys can be hung on trees or wreaths during the holidays. You can also repurpose small keys as jewelry.

Did You Know?

The Impact of Recycling Metal

According to the EPA, Americans recycled more than 7 millions tons of metal in 2008, including keys. In doing so, we saved the equivalent of the annual greenhouse gas emissions from nearly 5 million cars.