Most people have probably taken a bag of aluminum cans to a redemption center to collect the nickel deposit. You walk in, get them counted and collect your money. But, what happens next? IPR’s Katherine Perkins recently visited The Can Shed in Cedar Rapids to take a tour with owner and operator Troy Willard. Willard says they process 1.5-million containers per week at the facility… and cans are their bread and butter. Turns out, a lot happens after you dump that bag of cans onto the counter.
"Backstage" at The Can Shed
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Troy Willard is the Owner/Operator at The Can Shed in Cedar Rapids
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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Troy Willard is the Owner/Operator at The Can Shed in Cedar Rapids
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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Bags of cans wait to be sorted.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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Bags of cans wait to be sorted.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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A look down the can line. Workers grab cans and sort them into boxes by distributor. As the area's largest distributor, Pepsi stays on the line until the end.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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A look down the can line. Workers grab cans and sort them into boxes by distributor. As the area's largest distributor, Pepsi stays on the line until the end.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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Cans are counted and distributors are charged a 1 cent handling fee per can.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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Cans are counted and distributors are charged a 1 cent handling fee per can.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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The Can Shed returns the cans to distributors, or crushes and bails them on site to be shipped to a smelter, where they're melted into sheets and become cans and lids once again. The whole process takes less than 30 days.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
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The Can Shed returns the cans to distributors, or crushes and bails them on site to be shipped to a smelter, where they're melted into sheets and become cans and lids once again. The whole process takes less than 30 days.
Katherine Perkins / Iowa Public Radio
