If you're like most consumers, you want to do your part to cut down on waste, and your probably already know that recycling is an essential part of keeping your carbon footprint light. Most household recycling is fairly easy and involves paper and plastic products. However, metal is also recyclable, and items made from it can be recycled an infinite number of times. Metals are also a finite resources — once they're gone, they're gone for good, so it makes sense to recycle them so that they can be used by future generations. Following are three common household items made from metal that you can usually recycle.

Pet Food Cans

Most pet food cans are made from aluminum and although they're fairly easy to recycle, do so does involve a little bit of work. The paper should be removed, and it slides off very easily. The cans themselves should be rinsed clean and placed upside down to dry. In some cases, you may have to wash the cans with a mild dish detergent to remove any food residue. 

Old Cookware

Even though most pots, pans, cookie sheets, muffin tins, and other kitchen staples are completely recyclable, many curbside recycling services won't accept them, but scrap metal recycling facilities usual will. However, you'll have to remove the nonstick coating from any nonstick cookware items first in most cases, and the facility may ask if the materials the pots and pans are made from are ferrous or nonferrous — don't let this phase you. Ferrous materials have magnetic properties while their nonferrous counterparts do not, and all you have to do to determine which is which is hold a magnet close to the item.

Unless they're damaged beyond repair, you may be able to give them to someone you know who is setting up house for the first time and needs household items. You may also be able to donate them to a local thrift store. 

Aluminum Foil 

Many people don't realize that aluminum foil is also recyclable, and that's probably at least partly because a lot of municipal curbside recycling services don't accept it. The problem with aluminum foil is that it often contains food waste, and recycling centers aren't equipped to handle its removal. However, many scrap metal services might accept clean foil, so consider rinsing lightly soiled foil off and allowing it to dry instead of automatically throwing it int the trash.

For more information, reach out to scrap metal services in your area.