Aluminium Can Recycling Singapore

Bulk Aluminium Can Buyer — Who This Page Is For

Molten Steel buys aluminium Used Beverage Cans (UBC) in Singapore — but only at bulk commercial volumes. If you’re a household with a bag of Coke cans, the right channel is the NEA blue recycling bin or your estate’s recycling collection — not our yard. This page is for F&B operators, event caterers, stadium and entertainment venues, and commercial cleaning contractors who accumulate UBC in cage- or pallet-size loads.

UBC is one of the highest-yield aluminium recyclables. It goes straight into our aluminium scrap Singapore flow, priced at LME-linked rates against the UBC grade spec.

Typical Singapore Pricing for Aluminium Can Recycling

April 2026 indicative rates for commercial quantities delivered to our yard or collected islandwide:

• Loose UBC (bagged, unbaled) — approx. $0.90 to $1.20 per kg, minimum 100 kg.
• Compacted UBC (pressed bales) — approx. $1.20 to $1.60 per kg at commercial volume.
• Dirty UBC (food-contaminated, mixed with liquids) — rejected or heavily discounted.
• Crushed aluminium cans (roller-crushed, clean) — rate sits between loose and baled.
• Volume premium — regular pickups of 500 kg+ qualify for contractor rate.

These rates are benchmarked against the London Metal Exchange aluminium contract. For current aluminium pricing context, see our scrap metal prices in Singapore page.

How We Grade Aluminium Cans

UBC grading is simpler than mixed-metal items but purity matters:

• Alloy purity — proper UBC is aluminium alloy 3004/5182 body/lid. No steel cans, no foil trays, no aerosol cans mixed in.
• Cleanliness — drained and reasonably dry. Sticky residue is acceptable; half-full cans are not.
• Contamination — no cigarette butts, food waste, plastic bottles, or glass inside. One contaminated cage can downgrade a whole pallet.
• Form — loose, crushed, or baled. Baled pays best per kg due to handling efficiency.
• Volume — we handle commercial UBC starting at 100 kg per pickup. Smaller amounts should combine with other scrap or drop-off at our yard.

How to Prepare UBC for Collection

• Drain all cans thoroughly before bagging — residual liquid adds weight without value and invites discount for wet load.
• Do not mix with steel cans (food tins, aerosol cans) — these are a different scrap category and will downgrade the whole load.
• Remove plastic bags, cigarette butts, straws, and food waste before bagging.
• If you have a crusher or baler, use it — baled UBC pays the best rate.
• Palletise or cage for pickups over 500 kg. Saves loading time, qualifies for contractor rate.
• Store bagged UBC out of rain — wet cans lose weight value and get discounted.

Who Sells Bulk UBC to Us

• F&B chains & coffee shops with central waste aggregation — bars, bistros, restaurant groups.
• Event caterers & F&B operators — large events generate UBC in the hundreds of kilos per weekend.
• Stadium & entertainment venues — concerts, sporting events, nightclubs.
• Commercial cleaning contractors managing multi-tenant buildings and MCST waste streams.
• Offices & facilities with large canteen operations.
• Breweries & beverage distributors clearing damaged stock or production rejects.

UBC loads are frequently combined with other industrial scrap metal pickups — kitchen stainless, old equipment, copper piping from refits. One pickup, one invoice, handled by our metal scrap collection Singapore team. For lighter general-purpose aluminium (sheet, extrusions, castings), see aluminium scrap Singapore.

Households: Use NEA Recycling, Not Our Yard

If you’re a household looking to recycle a few bags of cans, the efficient route is the NEA blue recycling bin, your MCST collection, or the Bloobox-style schemes running at some estates. Scrapyards aren’t set up to weigh and pay for small household quantities efficiently. We focus on commercial volumes where the logistics work for both sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the minimum volume you collect for aluminium cans?

Free pickup starts at 100 kg of UBC (roughly 6,500 cans). Below that, you can drop off at our 170 Gul Circle yard during business hours, or wait until you have enough to combine with other scrap for pickup.

Do you buy from individuals with small amounts of cans?

Households with small quantities are better off using NEA blue bins or estate recycling. The logistics of weighing, paying, and processing very small loads don’t make sense commercially. For businesses with regular volumes, we’re the right channel.

Do baled cans get a better rate than loose cans?

Yes — typically $0.20–$0.40/kg premium on baled UBC because handling is efficient at our end. If you’re generating over 500 kg/month, a small baler pays for itself in a few months.

Do cans need to be crushed?

No, but it helps with volume — crushed or baled UBC transports better and pays a small premium. Loose bagged UBC is accepted. Drained and clean matters more than crushed or uncrushed.