Ask Trash Queen: How can we responsibly dispose of old foil?

Wednesday, 2 November 2022

How can we give used tinfoil a second life?

Dear Trash Queen, what do we do with old foil?

I wash and reuse my tinfoil until it is too torn to go on, but then what?

Similarly, what do we do with foil from food? Pottle seals, stock cubes, and the like? Is there a metal recycler that would take it on? - Juliet

A: Used aluminium foil is a little bit of a challenge for kerbside recycling systems because of the variability in quality. While aluminium cans are highly recyclable and high value, foil and foil-based packaging is at the lower end of the spectrum in terms of recyclability.

To ensure your aluminium foil is recycled, you could set aside and compact the pieces you’ve used, including pottle seals, cat food trays etc, and once you have a couple of bags full, take them along to your nearest metal recycler.

Provided they are relatively clean, the metal recycler should take them off your hands. Rates for scrap aluminium are quite low because of the light weight of this material, but if you are lucky you might get a dollar or two back!

**READ MORE:

Alex Kirkham AKA Trash Queen is a waste specialist, here to answer your rubbish-related questions each week.

* Ask Trash Queen: How can we give old underwear a second life?

* Ask Trash Queen: Are fabric packaging bags really a better option?

* Ask Trash Queen: What's the deal with recycling lids?

If you have a question about what to do with waste, send it to sundaymagazine@stuff.co.nz.