Aluminum Used Beverage Can (UBC) Scrap consists of empty aluminum beverage cans collected after consumer use for recycling. Common sources include households, businesses, beverage retailers, events, deposit-return systems and material recovery facilities (MRFs).
UBCs are an important secondary-aluminum commodity because recovered beverage-can metal can return to new aluminum can production. Under ReMA/ISRI specifications, industrial UBC shipments are classified by preparation method, including baled, densified, briquetted and shredded material.
Used Beverage Can Scrap: Quick Facts
- Material category: Nonferrous aluminum scrap
- Industry abbreviation: UBC (Used Beverage Can)
- Material source: Post-consumer aluminum beverage packaging
- ReMA/ISRI trade codes: Taldon, Taldack, Taldork and Talcred
- Related grade: Talc, Post-Consumer Aluminum Can Scrap
- Common products: Soft drink, beer, energy drink, sports drink and other aluminum beverage cans
- Critical exclusions: Steel, free lead, plastic, glass, foil, food containers and unrelated aluminum scrap
- Key grading factors: Contamination, moisture, preparation, density, dimensions and shipment quality
- Typical buyers: Beverage-container recycling centers, scrap yards, MRFs, nonferrous processors and secondary aluminum consumers
What Are Aluminum Used Beverage Cans?
UBC stands for Used Beverage Can. It refers to aluminum beverage containers that have been emptied after consumer use and recovered for recycling.
Typical examples include aluminum cans previously used for:
- Carbonated soft drinks
- Beer
- Energy drinks
- Sports drinks
- Juice beverages
- Ready-to-drink tea and coffee
- Other suitable canned beverages
Beverage cans are manufactured using aluminum alloys selected for forming performance, strength and packaging requirements. The can body and end may use different aluminum-alloy compositions.
After collection, properly sorted used cans can provide feedstock for recycling into new aluminum products, including beverage-can sheet.
Important distinction: UBC does not refer to every aluminum container. Food cans, aerosol containers, aluminum foil, trays and unrelated scrap should not be mixed into a commercial UBC shipment.
What Is UBC Scrap?
UBC Scrap is the recycling-industry term for used aluminum beverage containers collected and prepared for sale to scrap processors, aluminum recyclers or downstream manufacturers.
Depending on the stage of processing, UBCs may be collected or traded as:
- Loose cans: Uncompressed or individually flattened containers
- Baled cans: Cans compressed into secured commercial bales
- Densified cans: Cans compressed into dense biscuits
- Briquetted cans: Cans compacted into high-density blocks
- Shredded cans: Processed fragments meeting defined density and size requirements
Local collection centers may purchase relatively small quantities of loose cans, while industrial buyers may require specified commercial shipment dimensions, density, cleanliness and preparation.
ReMA/ISRI Specifications for Aluminum UBC Scrap
The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) maintains the ISRI Specifications used as reference descriptions for buying and selling recycled commodities.
The January 2026 specifications identify four important UBC-only grades:
Taldon: Baled UBC Scrap
Used beverage cans compressed into commercial bales, subject to specified density, dimensions, tying and cleanliness requirements.
Taldack: Densified UBC Scrap
Used beverage cans compressed into individual high-density biscuits and secured bundles.
Taldork: Briquetted UBC Scrap
Used beverage cans compacted into high-density briquettes meeting commercial packaging specifications.
Talcred: Shredded UBC Scrap
Shredded aluminum beverage cans meeting specified bulk-density, fines and contamination requirements.
These grades describe the physical condition and preparation of recovered aluminum beverage cans. They are not universal price rankings.
Taldon: Baled Aluminum UBC Scrap
Taldon is the standardized grade for Baled Aluminum Used Beverage Can Scrap.
The specification establishes the following density requirements:
- Minimum density: 14 lb/ft³
- Maximum density for unflattened UBCs: 17 lb/ft³
- Maximum density for flattened UBCs: 22 lb/ft³
- Minimum bale volume: 30 cubic feet
Taldon also establishes permitted bale dimensions, banding arrangements and restrictions on support sheets or skids.
The material must be magnetically separated and free of steel, lead, bottle caps, plastic, glass, wood, dirt, grease, trash and other foreign substances.
Free lead is grounds for rejection. Aluminum products other than used beverage cans are not acceptable under the standard grade.
Commercial note: Buyers and sellers should confirm bale dimensions, density, strapping, inspection and shipment terms before material is compressed and loaded.
Taldack: Densified Aluminum UBC Scrap
Taldack describes aluminum used beverage cans compressed into dense biscuits for industrial handling and shipment.
Its principal physical requirements include:
- Biscuit density: 35–50 lb/ft³
- Maximum individual biscuit weight: 60 pounds
- Preparation: Uniform biscuits secured into suitable commercial bundles
The specification also establishes biscuit dimensions, bundle dimensions and banding requirements.
Densified UBCs must be magnetically separated and free of specified foreign material, including steel, lead, plastics, glass, wood, dirt, grease and trash.
Unrelated aluminum items are not acceptable, and free lead is grounds for rejection.
Moisture and other conditions not expressly covered in the standard should be agreed upon before shipment.
Taldork: Briquetted Aluminum UBC Scrap
Taldork is the ReMA/ISRI classification for briquetted aluminum used beverage cans.
This grade establishes:
- Minimum briquette density: 50 lb/ft³
- Specified briquette dimensions: Uniform blocks within the prescribed range
- Maximum bundle weight: 4,000 pounds
- Packaging: Secured bundles or palletized arrangements meeting the specification
Taldork material must consist of UBCs, not mixed aluminum scrap.
It must be magnetically separated and free of steel, plastic, glass, dirt and other foreign substances. Free lead is a basis for rejection.
Important: Briquetting does not automatically improve the purchasing price. Density, freight savings, processing costs and buyer acceptance must all be considered.
Talcred: Shredded Aluminum UBC Scrap
Talcred is the recognized grade for Shredded Aluminum Used Beverage Can Scrap.
Its principal requirements include:
- Bulk density: 12–17 lb/ft³
- Fines: Maximum 5% material smaller than 4 mesh (6.35 mm)
- Separation: Magnetically separated material
- Composition: Used beverage cans only
The material must be free of steel, lead, bottle caps, plastics, glass, wood, dirt, grease, trash and other foreign substances.
Free lead is grounds for rejection, and unrelated aluminum products are not acceptable.
Excessive fines or foreign material can affect shipment acceptance and downstream processing.
What Is the Difference Between UBC Scrap and Talc?
ReMA/ISRI also recognizes Talc: Post-Consumer Aluminum Can Scrap.
Unlike the four UBC-only specifications, Talc covers qualifying old aluminum food and/or beverage cans.
The grade excludes other scrap metals, foil, tin cans, plastic bottles, paper, glass and other nonmetallic materials.
This difference is important for commercial scrap classification:
- UBC-only grades: Specifically limited to used beverage cans
- Talc: Covers qualifying post-consumer aluminum food and/or beverage cans
- Mixed Aluminum: A broader category that may contain various aluminum alloys and product forms, depending on the buyer
Do not assume that food containers may be included in a Taldon, Taldack, Taldork or Talcred shipment simply because they are aluminum.
What Contamination Should Be Kept Out of UBC Scrap?
Clean commercial UBC material must be protected from foreign metals and nonmetallic contamination.
Steel and Other Metals
Steel food cans, steel beverage containers, metal caps and other unrelated metals should not enter UBC loads.
Lead
Free lead is grounds for rejection under the standardized UBC grades. Lead-containing material must be excluded.
Plastic and Glass
Plastic bottles, plastic containers, broken glass and other packaging materials are not acceptable in clean UBC shipments.
Food Containers and Foil
Aluminum foil, trays, food containers and other aluminum products should be kept separate from beverage-can-only grades.
Moisture and Liquids
Excess beverage residue, water and other liquids can add unwanted weight and create storage or processing problems. Commercial moisture requirements should be established with the buyer.
Dirt, Wood and Trash
Unrelated debris can result in additional separation costs, deductions, grade changes or shipment rejection.
Quality-control priority: Keep the collection stream limited to aluminum beverage cans and prevent contamination before it reaches the baler, densifier or shredder.
Do Aluminum Beverage Cans Need to Be Clean and Dry?
UBCs should be empty and reasonably free of excessive liquid, food residue, dirt and foreign materials.
For household or small-business recycling, a light rinse may be helpful if local collection instructions recommend it. Extensive washing is generally unnecessary.
For commercial UBC loads, buyers may specify moisture, residue and contamination limits.
Material stored outdoors should be managed to avoid unnecessary accumulation of water and debris.
Practical recommendation: Follow the receiving recycler's instructions. A local household collection program and an industrial UBC processor may have different preparation requirements.
Should Aluminum Cans Be Crushed Before Recycling?
Not necessarily. The appropriate preparation depends on the collection system and receiving facility.
Some scrap buyers accept flattened cans, while certain sorting systems prefer containers in their original shape.
For industrial shipments, ReMA recognizes separate baled, densified, briquetted and shredded grades with specific physical requirements.
Crushing loose cans at home does not automatically turn them into a standardized industrial UBC grade.
Best practice: Confirm the recycling program's crushing or flattening instructions before preparing the cans.
Are Aluminum Food Cans and Trays UBC Scrap?
UBC specifically means Used Beverage Can. Food cans, aluminum trays and foil are different product categories.
Some of these items may be recyclable through suitable programs, but they should not be included in UBC-only commercial shipments without explicit buyer approval.
Food cans may also be steel rather than aluminum, making material identification important.
Keep other aluminum packaging separate when the receiving processor requires dedicated beverage-can material.
How Are Aluminum Beverage Cans Recycled?
Recovered aluminum beverage cans can provide feedstock for new can-sheet production and other suitable aluminum manufacturing operations.
A typical industrial recycling process may include:
- Collection: Cans are recovered through municipal recycling, deposit-return programs, commercial collection and scrap facilities.
- Sorting: Aluminum beverage cans are separated from steel, plastic, glass and other materials.
- Contamination removal: Foreign metals and nonmetallic debris are removed.
- Preparation: Suitable cans are baled, shredded, densified or otherwise prepared for the receiving process.
- Coating management: Organic coatings and residues are addressed through appropriate industrial equipment and controls.
- Melting: Accepted aluminum feedstock is recovered through controlled melting.
- Alloy adjustment: Metal chemistry is managed for downstream product specifications.
- Sheet production: Suitable metal may be cast and rolled into aluminum sheet.
- Manufacturing: Recovered aluminum can be used in new beverage cans or other products.
Not every recycling facility follows exactly the same processing sequence. The final product depends on material chemistry, processing technology and customer specifications.
Can Used Aluminum Cans Become New Beverage Cans?
Yes. Aluminum beverage cans are well suited to closed-loop recycling, meaning recovered material can return to the same type of product.
The Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute reported a 96.7% U.S. closed-loop circularity rate in their December 2024 industry report.
This indicator describes the share of recycled aluminum beverage-can material that returns to beverage-can production. It does not mean that 96.7% of all beverage cans sold are collected for recycling.
Additional research released in March 2025 found that recycled aluminum beverage cans moved from collection to newly formed cans in less than 60 days on average in the United States.
That time is an industry average, and individual recycling routes may differ.
U.S. Aluminum Beverage Can Recycling Rates
The Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute published the following performance indicators in December 2024, drawing on their industry research and reporting data.
43%: U.S. consumer aluminum beverage-can recycling rate for 2023.
57%: Reported industry recycling rate, which uses a different scope from the consumer measure.
96.7%: Reported closed-loop circularity rate for recycled can material.
71%: Average recycled content of a U.S.-made aluminum beverage can.
Reporting context: These figures were released in 2024 and should not be interpreted as current 2026 performance measurements. The indicators describe different aspects of collection, manufacturing and recycling.
The figures demonstrate both the ability of recovered UBC material to return to beverage-can manufacturing and the opportunity to collect more cans that would otherwise be discarded.
Why Are UBCs Important to the Recycling Industry?
Used beverage cans form a recognized source of secondary aluminum with established specifications, collection networks and downstream manufacturing demand.
For recyclers, properly separated UBCs can provide predictable feedstock for industrial aluminum recovery.
For material recovery facilities, beverage cans are an important recoverable nonferrous commodity within household and commercial recycling streams.
For aluminum manufacturers, recycled UBCs can contribute to metal supply and help reduce reliance on primary production.
Effective collection and sorting are particularly important because contamination can reduce material recovery efficiency and complicate can-to-can recycling.
UBC Scrap vs. Aluminum Cans Scrap
The terms are related but not necessarily identical across every scrap-yard purchasing system.
UBC Scrap specifically identifies used aluminum beverage cans.
Aluminum Cans Scrap may be used as a similar or broader commercial description depending on the data provider or receiving buyer.
RecyclingMonster maintains separate price-reporting categories:
Compare the material description, observed price date, location and unit before treating quotations from these categories as equivalent.
UBC Scrap vs. Mixed Aluminum
UBCs should be separated from general Mixed Aluminum when a suitable dedicated beverage-can collection or purchasing category is available.
Mixed Aluminum may include a wide range of products with different alloy compositions, coatings and physical forms.
Dedicated UBC specifications provide clearer requirements for recovered beverage-can feedstock.
For broader aluminum market context, visit Aluminum Scrap Prices.
UBC Scrap Prices: What Determines the Buying Price?
Used Beverage Can Scrap prices depend on material preparation, contamination, market conditions, quantity, location and receiving-buyer requirements.
Industrial purchasing arrangements may also reflect bale density, moisture, packaging, freight and inspection terms.
Important Pricing Factors
- Accepted scrap grade: Loose, baled, densified, briquetted or shredded material
- Material quality: Presence of steel, plastic, glass, dirt or other contamination
- Moisture: Excess liquid or stored water
- Density: Conformity with the specified preparation grade
- Package dimensions: Compliance with buyer requirements for bales or bundles
- Quantity: Shipment size and consistency
- Market conditions: Secondary aluminum demand and metal prices
- Location: Transportation costs and regional scrap-buyer competition
- Contract terms: Quality deductions, freight and settlement conditions
Available UBC Scrap Prices
Review RecyclingMonster's available UBC price observations below. Confirm the material description, reporting date, currency, weight unit and location before using a quotation for comparison.
price
See the dedicated UBC Scrap Price Database for grade-specific historical yard observations.
Prices for broader Aluminum Cans, Aluminum Beverage Cans and general Aluminum Scrap categories should not automatically be represented as identical UBC quotations.
Scrap-Yard Prices vs. Beverage-Container Deposit Refunds
Two different payment systems can apply to empty beverage containers.
Scrap Metal Buying Prices
Scrap yards and metal processors generally purchase eligible UBC material based on weight, accepted grade and commercial terms.
Container Deposit Returns
Where a beverage-container deposit program operates, eligible cans may qualify for a refund under the applicable program rules.
Deposit-return eligibility, refund values and approved return locations vary by jurisdiction.
Important: A container-deposit refund is not the same as an aluminum scrap price per pound. Compare the appropriate return method and local rules before choosing where to take your cans.
How to Improve UBC Scrap Quality and Saleability
The most useful steps involve keeping material clean, correctly classified and suitable for the receiving process.
- Collect aluminum beverage cans separately: Avoid mixing them with steel cans or other scrap.
- Remove unrelated materials: Keep glass, plastic, trash and non-UBC aluminum out of the load.
- Empty the containers: Avoid excessive beverage residue and free liquid.
- Control moisture: Use suitable storage and follow the buyer's moisture requirements.
- Keep lead out: Free lead is grounds for rejection under recognized UBC grades.
- Follow crushing instructions: Flatten or leave cans intact according to the collection system.
- Use appropriate separation: Commercial processors must meet the applicable magnetic-separation requirements.
- Check bale or biscuit specifications: Confirm the accepted density and dimensions before industrial compaction.
- Maintain traceability: Record source, material condition, lot weight and shipment details where needed.
- Obtain buyer specifications: Confirm acceptance, price basis and deductions before shipment.
Safety note: Industrial balers, shredders, compactors and briquetting equipment create mechanical hazards. Preparation should be carried out by trained personnel using suitable procedures and equipment. Do not place pressurized aerosol containers or other hazardous items in UBC machinery.
Where Can You Sell Aluminum UBC Scrap?
Aluminum beverage cans may be accepted by nonferrous scrap yards, beverage-container collection centers, metal recyclers and specialized UBC processors.
Some facilities accept small quantities of loose cans, while others purchase only prepared commercial shipments.
yards
RecyclingMonster provides a Used Aluminum Beverage Cans - Clean & Dry Recycling Centers Directory and a broader Beverage Cans Recycling Centers Directory.
You can also use the Recycle an Item tool to research additional recycling options.
Individual facilities should be contacted to confirm current acceptance, minimum quantities, preparation rules and any payment arrangements.
Bulk UBC Scrap: Commercial Buying and Selling Requirements
Material recovery facilities, municipalities, beverage distributors, recycling contractors, event operators, institutions and industrial scrap processors may generate large quantities of UBC material.
Commercial buyers and sellers should confirm:
- Accepted ReMA/ISRI UBC grade
- Loose, baled, densified, briquetted or shredded preparation
- Minimum and maximum density requirements
- Bale, biscuit or briquette dimensions
- Approved banding and packaging methods
- Moisture and liquid-residue requirements
- Steel, lead, plastic, glass and other contamination exclusions
- Applicable magnetic-separation requirements
- Talcred fines allowance where relevant
- Minimum shipment quantities
- Trailer, container, loading and freight arrangements
- Delivered versus collected pricing
- Inspection, sampling and rejection procedures
- Weight verification, deductions and settlement conditions
- Payment terms and supporting documentation
Segregating UBCs at the point of collection helps reduce additional sorting and supports more consistent downstream aluminum recovery.
However, better preparation does not guarantee a higher net return after baling, equipment, labor and transportation costs.
Frequently Asked Questions About UBC Scrap
What does UBC stand for in scrap recycling?
UBC means Used Beverage Can. It refers to aluminum beverage containers recovered after consumer use.
What are the ReMA/ISRI grades for UBC scrap?
The principal UBC-only grades are Taldon (baled), Taldack (densified), Taldork (briquetted) and Talcred (shredded).
Should aluminum cans be crushed before recycling?
Follow the receiving program's instructions. Some systems accept flattened cans, while others prefer cans to remain uncrushed for sorting.
Are aluminum food cans and trays considered UBCs?
No. UBC-only specifications cover beverage cans. Food cans and trays belong to other recycling or scrap categories, depending on their material.
How much are used aluminum beverage cans worth?
The buying price depends on grade, cleanliness, quantity, preparation, buyer location and reporting date. Container deposit refunds are a separate payment system.
Explore More Aluminum Recycling Resources
Compare UBC prices, research related aluminum categories and locate potential recycling facilities through RecyclingMonster.
Material information notice: UBC scrap grades, density requirements, pricing and recycler acceptance vary by material condition, buyer, location and reporting date. ReMA/ISRI specifications are provided for educational reference. Final purchasing, packaging and shipment terms depend on the applicable buyer-seller agreement.