Metal / Metal
See the most important Danish waste categories and how correct sorting helps materials move on to recycling.
Click a waste category to read more about it.
In short
Metal includes cans, lids, caps, aluminium trays, foil and smaller metal parts. Metal can be recycled many times and has high environmental value when sorted correctly.
Common mistakes
- Spray cans and containers with chemical residue must not be sorted as ordinary metal.
- Metal packaging should be emptied and scraped clean of larger food residue.
- Electronics with metal parts should be sorted as electronics, not metal.
- Needles and sharp medical items must follow special rules, often pharmacy or recycling centre return.
Clean enough or special waste?
Empty metal can be recycled
Food cans, non-deposit drink cans, metal lids, caps, aluminium trays, foil, pots, pans and small metal parts can usually be sorted as metal.
Chemicals and pressurised containers must stay out
Metal with chemical residue, paint, oil or pressurised containers such as spray cans requires special handling because it can be hazardous in ordinary metal collection.
Check local rules
Danish municipalities may have different rules for spray cans, small metal items, larger metal parts, lids, aluminium foil and whether metal is collected with plastic or cartons. Find your municipality.
Metal waste
Metal recycling has a high environmental benefit because producing new metal from raw materials requires a lot of energy and resources. Sorting metal correctly helps recover materials such as steel, aluminium and copper.
How to sort metal
Metal items and packaging should be emptied and scraped clean. Cans, lids, foil trays, pots, pans, cutlery, nails and screws can often be sorted as metal. Spray cans, metal with chemical residues and needles require special handling and should not be placed with ordinary metal waste.
FAQ about metal
Does metal need to be washed before sorting?+
No, metal usually does not need to be washed thoroughly. It should be emptied and scraped clean so no larger food residue remains.
Can food cans go in metal recycling?+
Yes. Food cans, metal lids, caps and aluminium trays can usually be sorted as metal when they are empty.
Where should spray cans go?+
Spray cans often need to be delivered as hazardous waste or at a recycling centre because they may contain pressure and chemical residue.
Can aluminium foil be sorted as metal?+
Yes, if it is empty and without larger food residue. Very dirty foil may belong in residual waste in some municipalities.
Why is metal important to sort?+
Metal can be recycled again and again, and recycling saves large amounts of energy and raw materials compared with extracting new metal.
Waste items sorted as metal / Metal
Aluminium
Aluminium foil
Aluminium foil tray
Aluminium food tray
Aluminium kitchen foil
Aluminium mould
Aluminium pet food can
Aluminium tealight cup
Aluminium tray
Ammunition
Antenna
Axe
Baking tray
Ballpoint pen
Barbed wire
Beer bottle cap
Beer can
Bicycle cable
Bicycle chain
Bicycle frame
Bicycle saddle
Biscuit tin
Bottle cap
Bottle screw cap
Bra with underwire
Brass
Bread bag clip
Can
Can opener
Candle
Candlestick
Canned tomato paste
Car body parts
Cat food can
Champagne cork
Chicken wire
Clothes hanger
Coat hanger
Coffee capsule
Coffee pot
Coin
Cooking frying pan
Cooking pot
Cutlery
Drawing pin
Drill bit
Drink can
Dumbbell
Empty ring binder
Enamelled pot
Eyelash curler
Fence panel
Foil
Foil food tray
Foil tray
Food can
Fork
Fridge magnet
Frying pan
Gas stove
Grater
Grill tray
Guitar string
Gutter
Hair pin
Hand shower
Handcuffs
Hunting cartridge
Iron
Iron bar
Iron parasol base
Iron pipe
Jam jar
Jam jar lid
Jewellery
Key
Key ring
Kitchen foil
Kitchen knife
Kitchen timer
Knife
Light fixture
Liver pâté
Liver pate tray
Loose feather
Mackerel tin
Magnet
Mandoline slicer
Marmalade jar
Medal
Metal
Metal baking tin
Metal blind
Metal bucket
Metal foil
Metal frame
Metal lid
Metal shelf unit
Metal tub
Mixer tap
Nail
Nail clipper
Nut
Packaging made of plastic and metal
Padlock
Paint bucket
Paint can
Paper clip
Pesto jar
Pin
Pipe
Pocket knife
Pot lid
Preserving jar
Putty knife
Roasting tray
Safety pin
Saw
Scissors
Screw
Sewing needle
Shower head
Silver
Silverware
Soft drink can
Spark plug
Spice jar
Spiral-bound book
Spoon
Springform cake tin
Steel
Steel countertop
Steel wire
Straight razor
Tap
Tealight
Tealight cup
Tealight holder
Tin can
Tin foil
Tomato tin
Tube packaging
Tuna can
Waste bin stand
Wire mesh
Zinc
Zinc gutter
Zipper