Cans recycling in Harford County, MD runs through the county's single-stream program, so aluminum and steel cans go into the same bin as glass, paper, and cardboard. This guide covers exactly what qualifies, how curbside and free drop-off actually work, and where to turn scrap aluminum into cash. We'll also flag the one habit that gets otherwise-good cans rejected at the sorting line.
How Single-Stream Cans Recycling Works in Harford County
Harford County uses single-stream recycling, which means residents don't separate materials by type. Single stream recycling allows for the recycling of everything acceptable, including glass, plastic, metal, aluminum and paper, to be set out all together in the same container and on the same day. A processing facility sorts everything afterward with magnets, screens, and optical equipment.
You don't need a county-issued bin to participate. Recyclables may be placed together and set out in a variety of containers such as spare trash cans, new trash cans, corrugated cardboard boxes, even laundry baskets, or paper bags for collection. The one hard rule: plastic bags may not be used or disposed with the recyclables.
This system isn't unique to Harford County, but it does boost participation. For municipalities that have switched to single-stream recycling, the national average shows a 20% increase in material recycled. For a county-level look at how recycling, bulk pickup, and dumpster service fit together here, see our Harford County, MD service area page.
What Metal Cans Harford County Accepts
The curbside program and the county's main recycling center take more metal items than most residents assume. Based on the county's accepted-materials list, you can recycle:
- Aluminum beverage cans (soda, seltzer, beer)
- Steel and tin food cans (soup, vegetables, pet food)
Empty aerosol cans
Aluminum foil and aluminum disposable bakeware
- Bimetal containers, such as some coffee and oil cans
Once collected, those materials go back into real supply chains. Aluminum cans are used to make new aluminum cans, and tin cans are used to make new steel products.
Are Painted or Dented Cans Still Recyclable?
Yes. A dented can or one with a painted label still clears the sorting line, since magnets and eddy-current separators pull steel and aluminum regardless of cosmetic damage. The exception is a full or pressurized aerosol can. Harford County's quarterly household hazardous waste program, not curbside, is where you take cans that still contain product, since unused aerosol contents are treated as hazardous waste at drop-off.
Curbside Pickup: Containers, Schedules & Licensed Haulers
Harford County doesn't run its own trash trucks. Residential collection is handled by licensed private haulers, and your pickup day depends on which one services your address. Contact your trash collector directly for the pickup day assigned to your address.
| Hauler | Phone |
|---|---|
| Bartenfelder Sanitation Services | 410-420-9220 |
| GFL Environmental (Casella) | 410-457-0404 |
| Harford County Trash Services | 443-841-6253 |
| Republic Services | 800-284-7056 |
Harford County licenses, but does not endorse, trash collectors. Your hauler, not the county, sets the exact weekly schedule and any holiday shifts.
Harford Waste Disposal Center: Address, Hours & What to Expect
If you don't subscribe to curbside service, or you have a larger load of cans and scrap metal, you can self-haul to the county's main facility.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Address |
3241 Scarboro Road, Street, MD 21154
| Phone |
410-638-3638
| Hours |
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
| Recycling cost |
Free of charge for county residents
|
Plan around the crowds. Saturdays are the busiest days at the facility, with wait times of an hour or more, and customers dropping off trash should arrive no later than 2:30 p.m. or they may be asked to return another day. Beyond cans, the center also handles other recoverable materials. The facility accepts clothing and textiles, computers, scrap metal, motor oil and antifreeze, ink cartridges, used propane cylinders, and wet cell batteries, all free of charge. You can confirm current hours and seasonal closures directly on the Harford Waste Disposal Center page.
Get Cash for Cans: Scrap Metal Buyers in Harford County
Curbside pickup doesn't pay you for cans. It's a free service, but it's not a source of income. Local scrap metal buyers are a different story: they pay cash based on current market price per pound, metal purity, and total weight. Clean, sorted aluminum typically brings a better rate than a mixed load with steel, trash, or liquid still in the cans.
Before you haul a load in:
- Separate aluminum from steel and tin cans; buyers often pay different rates for each
- Rinse out food and beverage residue
- Remove caps, labels aren't usually an issue, but loose trash is
- Bring photo ID, since many yards require it for larger cash transactions
If you're clearing out a property, garage, or rental unit and the scrap haul is bigger than a few bags of cans, a dumpster is usually faster than multiple scrap-yard trips. Our residential dumpster rental service handles mixed cleanouts where metal, cans, and general debris come out of the same job. For commercial properties generating steady can and scrap volume, our commercial dumpster rental option is built for recurring pickup instead of one-off trips. Want pricing for your specific job? Get a free estimate and we'll scope it out.
Why Rinsing and Sorting Actually Matter
Here's the part most local guides skip: a rinsed can and an unrinsed can don't have the same odds of actually getting recycled. Food and liquid residue is a leading cause of contamination at material recovery facilities, and contaminated loads get pulled and landfilled rather than processed. On our own dumpster and cleanout jobs across Harford County, the cans that come back rejected almost always have leftover liquid or food, not the wrong metal type.
The energy case for getting this right is significant. Making recycled aluminum only takes around 5% of the energy needed to make new aluminum, reducing carbon emissions and saving money for businesses and end consumers. Yet consumer participation lags behind the potential. Nationally, aluminum beer and soft drink cans are recycled at a rate of about 50.4 percent , according to EPA's most recent materials and waste data. Maryland has its own targets layered on top of that national picture: the Maryland Recycling Act requires counties with populations under 150,000, which includes Harford County, to recycle at least 20% of the waste they generate.
Rinsing takes ten seconds. It's the difference between a can becoming a new can and a can becoming landfill tonnage.
Cans Recycling Across the Baltimore Region
Rules shift slightly once you cross a county line, so if you split time between jurisdictions or manage properties in more than one county, it's worth checking local specifics. We also cover service details for Baltimore, MD, Howard County, MD, and Anne Arundel County, MD. If you're comparing drop-off options in Anne Arundel specifically, our refuse center locations and rules guide breaks down addresses and accepted materials the same way we did above for Harford County.
Whatever county you're in, Cathy's Cans handles the dumpster side of cleanouts, renovations, and recurring commercial pickup, cans and scrap metal included. Browse recent jobs on our projects page or see the full lineup on our waste management services page.
FAQ
Can You Recycle Cans for Money in Maryland?
Not through curbside. Curbside single-stream pickup is free and doesn't pay. Local scrap metal buyers do pay cash for cans and other scrap aluminum, based on current weight and market pricing.
What Can Be Recycled in Harford County, MD?
Aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, and most rigid plastics labeled #1 through #7 all go in the same curbside bin or the drop-off center. See the accepted-materials list above for specifics.
What Are 5 Things That Cannot Be Recycled Curbside?
Plastic bags, food-soiled containers, garden hoses, electronics, and Styrofoam. These jam sorting equipment or contaminate otherwise-good material, so they need a trash can or a separate drop-off program instead.
Is the Harford County Dump Open Today?
The Harford Waste Disposal Center is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and closed Sundays and county holidays. Call ahead around holidays, since hours can shift.
Does Harford County Charge to Drop Off Recycling?
No. Recycling is accepted free of charge for county residents who bring it to the Harford Waste Disposal Center. Fees only apply if you're also dropping off household trash in the same trip.
Can I Recycle a Full Aerosol Can in Harford County?
Only if it's empty. Empty aerosol cans go in curbside recycling. A can that still has product in it is hazardous waste and belongs in the county's quarterly household hazardous waste collection, not your recycling bin.
---
About the Author: This guide was written by the team at Cathy's Cans, a Harford County dumpster rental and waste management company that hauls scrap metal, cans, and mixed debris off residential and commercial job sites every week. Questions about a specific cleanout or scrap load? Contact us directly.
