Anyone save pull tabs?

[2LaneCruzer]

We got started saving them years ago, and giving them to a friend who in turn donated them to a charity that provided free dialysis to deserving patients. They quit taking them several years ago, but we kept saving them...we now have maybe 3 or 4 gallon of the things. What to do with them? I can always put them in the recycle, but the only other charity I know of that takes them is McDonald House. Any suggestions?

 

[kcflhrc]

A guy at work was saving them for some charity, cant remember what for sure. I think Ronald McDonald House would be a good choice. Keeps the families of sick children close to the hospital.

 

[ruffdog]

Some churches in the area use them and the local humane society uses them. Just ask around....

 

[4570Man]

Why do you save only the pull tabs? The tabs are only a fraction of the metal in the can.

 

[kcflhrc]

Why do you save only the pull tabs? The tabs are only a fraction of the metal in the can.

The charities don't want the can, just the pull tab. But yes, definitely recycle the whole can after the tab is removed.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

It's a scam

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Why do you save only the pull tabs? The tabs are only a fraction of the metal in the can.

Just out of habit. Our community recycles paper, plastic, metal (including aluminum and steel cans), empty spray cans, etc...almost everything in that category except Styrofoam. In fact, considering that we have a compost bin, our recycle is about 10 times what our trash is. We probably don't send much more than a couple kitchen size bags to the garbage every week, but the recycle container we fill and then some every 2 weeks.

Looks like McDonald House will benefit...such as it is...from the pull tabs. I really wasn't under the illusion that the tabs were worth any more than the can itself (although I had heard otherwise) but I thought that there might be some matching contribution from the recipient that made it worthwhile to save them. In this case, McDonald will get the benefit as opposed to the recycle company (we actually have to pay extra for the recycle...but I don't mind, being of an environmental bent).

 

[MoKelly]

So, you separate the pull tab from the can every time by wiggling the thing until it comes off?

I can see doing this in the "old days" with pull tabs, but today its actual work to get the pull tab off.

But, if its a beer can, the reward is worth the effort.:thumbsup:

MoKelly

 

[OneMan]

Not a scam. My grandkids school asks for students to collect them and they have 4 collection days a year. They also collect the box top coupon from certain cereal.

 

[jaotguy]

the Pull tab is the only thing that is 100% alum . the rest of the can is several metals , too expensive to separate them out ....

it costs more in gas to drop them off than what you get for the tabs .... big garbage bags of them gets you change ....

 

[2LaneCruzer]

So, you separate the pull tab from the can every time by wiggling the thing until it comes off?

I can see doing this in the "old days" with pull tabs, but today its actual work to get the pull tab off.

But, if its a beer can, the reward is worth the effort.:thumbsup:

MoKelly

Yep. Just wiggle it off; comes as second nature by now. Funny thing, I go to a lot of car shows, some of which are held in public parks. I often see an old "pop top" , the kind that had to be pulled off the can, lying around on the ground.

 

[MossRoad]

We save them in a canning jar by the kitchen sink just to see how many cans of pop we drink every year. Every few years, the church, boy scouts, or some other organization has a recycle day and we toss them in. They're also good for art projects, fishing lures and making your own chainmail undergarments.... you'll have to google that one! :laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

Remember the old pull tops that could be folded around each other thus linking them to make a Chain? My sister and I collected them from all the pop cans and made a chain curtain to cover a doorway entrance. Thought it was pretty cool. Really a piece of art.

 

[k0ua]

Also the old pop tops off of a frosty root beer branded can were round when you broke off the remainder of the tail. They were exactly the size of a nickle. Unsophisticated cookie and snack machines could not tell the difference. Or so I have been told. I wouldn't really know. No, I don't know anything about things that might have happened 50 years ago.

 

[dragoneggs]

Also the old pop tops off of a frosty root beer branded can were round when you broke off the remainder of the tail. They were exactly the size of a nickle. Unsophisticated cookie and snack machines could not tell the difference. Or so I have been told. I wouldn't really know. No, I don't know anything about things that might have happened 50 years ago.

Or the knockouts from metal electrical boxes working as quarters for pinball machines, I don't know anything about that either.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Statute of limitations. Probably 3 or 4 years.