Soda can tabs, more aluminum than rest of can? [Snopes pwns it]

[edro]

A dude at work that collects those pop (soda) can tabs said that the tabs have more aluminum in them than the whole rest of the can. He collects them for charity. I understand the whole density thing, but I still highly doubt it. It is true?

I mean, the base and outter top lip of the cans are pretty dense as well.

 

[Valhalla1]

sounds false.. I'd bet the tab has as much as the outer cylinder of aluminum, but the top and bottom I'd say win

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: Valhalla1
sounds false.. I'd bet the tab has as much as the outer cylinder of aluminum, but the top and bottom I'd say win

i've heard that more than once before


it had to with the outside of the can being an alloy, or having to do w/ the paint on the can

 

[edro]

Doh! Shoulda checked Snopes first:

"Honesty and truly I say, there's nothing special about pull tabs which makes them exchangeable for time on a dialysis machine. These bits of metal are worth nothing more than the ordinary recycle value of the aluminum they contain. Though rumor claims pull tabs are made of a special metal or have a "higher aluminum content" than the cans they accompany (thus accounting for their imagined greater value), there's nothing to this notion ? the tabs are made from the same material as the cans.
A million pull tabs have a recycle value of just under $300 U.S. And that's before you factor in what it costs to collect, store, and transport them to a recycling center which will pay cash for them. When you consider the time and effort it takes to collect a million of anything, it's a wonder anyone would go to all that trouble for a mere $300. Far better to ask everyone you know for a penny in place of each pull tab they would have given you ? at least then when you were done done collecting your million, you'd have $10,000 to donate to your charity.

To put this in even clearer perspective, 100 pull tabs have a scrap metal value of 3¢."

 

[manik1]

The reason i believe the tops are more valuable is because, the can can not be re melted because of the design taking up most of the can along with the health facts ingredients and so on. The tops are made with the same or as much as the can it self......


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So ina nutshell the tops are more valuable because the can be remelted and reused.......

 

[John Connor]

Holy old post Batman!

 

[oynaz]

The reason i believe the tops are more valuable is because, the can can not be re melted because of the design taking up most of the can along with the health facts ingredients and so on. The tops are made with the same or as much as the can it self......


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So ina nutshell the tops are more valuable because the can be remelted and reused.......

That is not correct. The entire can is recycled in many European countries.

In these guys:

http://jporcel.com/images/tomra_new710.jpg

 

[lxskllr]

That is not correct. The entire can is recycled in many European countries.

In these guys:

http://jporcel.com/images/tomra_new710.jpg

The entire can is recycled everywhere without special consideration. The label has no bearing on recycling.

 

[arkcom]

I've even melted them myself. Lots of dross, but workable.

 

[John Connor]

I've melted them too and there really isn't that much metal.

 

[Mixolydian]

You can also put them in the trash or recycling (if available)

 

[John Connor]

lol

 

[sdifox]

wow, first post necro...of a thread from 2004...

 

[who?]

A large container of crushed cans doesn't contain as much aluminium as the same container of tabs because there's so much air left in the cans.

 

[MrPickins]

A large container of crushed cans doesn't contain as much aluminium as the same container of tabs because there's so much air left in the cans.

And?

Aluminum is sold by weight, not volume.

 

[who?]

When you're transporting the aluminum to sell it your car can hold more weight of more densely packed pull tabs than crushed cans.

 

[MrPickins]

When you're transporting the aluminum to sell it your car can hold more weight of more densely packed pull tabs than crushed cans.

When was the last time you filled your entire car with aluminum?