We had someone ask a great question in the store recently: what to do with metal lids from cans, jars and bottles? Here's the answer for anyone wondering the same thing!
1. Remove Plastic Linings
Make sure to remove any plastic lining from a metal lid. You can do this with bottle tops by cutting them in half with sharp scissors and peeling out the plastic insert, which needs to go to landfill. This applies to many different bottle lids, from beer bottle lids to oil and wine bottle lids.
2. Aluminium Lids
Any aluminium lids (e.g. wine/kombucha/soft drink bottle lids and champagne twists) can be folded and put into an aluminium can (e.g. soft drink/beer can) to be recycled in your yellow-top bin. Be sure to fold the can so the lids don’t fall out. You can also wrap aluminium bits and pieces into your aluminium foil ball, which has to be at least the size of your fist before recycling.
3. Steel Lids
Any steel lids (e.g. some jar lids, beer bottle lids, food can lids) can instead go inside a steel food can, folded so they don’t fall out, and put in your yellow-top recycling bin.
4. How To Tell The Difference Between Aluminium & Steel
To check what type of metal your lid is, use a magnet. The magnet will stick to steel but not aluminium.
Taking the time to make sure you're recycling properly makes the process so much smoother and less wasteful, so thank you for taking the time to learn how to recycle your metal lids properly. Happy recycling!
5. How to Recycle Plastic Lids
In WA, small plastic lids can now be recycled at any Containers4Change depot. Separate them from your 10c bottles and place in the designated recycling bin.
Large plastic lids (larger than the palm of your hand) can be placed into your yellow top kerbside recycling bin.
6. What about Disposable Coffee Cup Lids?
WA's Plan for Plastics has signalled the demise of single use plastic cups and lids which will be banned at the end of the year. However, compostable cups and lids are not the only answer to the plastic problem. They only help to protect our planet if they end up in home compost or a FOGO bin at the end of their life.
Check the lid is certified compostable, preferably under the Australian Composting Standards: AS 5810 for home compostable orAS 4736 for commercially compostable (FOGO bin).
For more info please visit our Perth Recycling Guide which is regularly updated with information about what you can recycle and where in Perth.
Willmar Furgesin
October 13, 2023
It’s important that we all do something to reduce plastic waste and help protect our environment. By promoting sustainable practices and supporting companies like Raw tech trade we can make a positive impact on our planet and pave the way towards a more sustainable future.