Recycle shocks and struts: oil and gas are out, but what do you do with the bodies?

lotzagoodstuff

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So I will state up front that I am a pretty hard core recycler. I really hate putting things in a landfill that could be repurposed, but if they have to get tossed I really want them to go into the best possible alternate to a landfill. I've seen reclaimed landfills, and when done properly they can be really acceptable land. I also know that regardless of how you get your property, it's nice not to have an old shock or strut buried in the ground :)

So I know how to drill/drain the gas and oil out, but do you put the shock or strut in the garbage or recycle container? Just trying to do my part to make sure that if possible these bodies can get melted down and made into some new piece of metal.

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chillman88

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Mine go to the scrapyard. I doubt the guy who picks up household recycling will take them but you're clear across the country so I can't speak for your local people.
 

snicklas

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For me, stuff that is “scrap”, not recycle able “trash” goes in a pile in the corner and when there is enough, it goes to one of our local metal recyclers (scrapyard). What I am talking about is things like, my old gas grill, brake drums/rotors, dead shocks, bicycle frames, exhaust parts, cast iron or steel scrap..... last load we had was ~1400 lbs (nice load in my RC F-150 small trailer), and none of what I took to the scrapyard would I have ever thought of putting in the little blue bin for the collection service.

To me that would be food and beverage containers, aluminum foil and pans.... maybe motor oil type containers..... but for me, anything produced in the garage is either trash that goes in the regular trash, or get hauled to a specific scrap metal recycler..... In a recent “clean out the corners” cleaning, we took 800 lbs of stuff to the dump.... which was stuff that was “regular trash” and not something to go to the recycler. I could have spread it out over several weeks in the regular trash.... but it was just a easy to throw it in the bed of the truck and take it to the dump.....
 

Selahdoor

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I would say drill holes all the way through them in the pressure areas, to show there is no gasses or oils in them, and take them to the scrapyard.
 
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