6. Recycling in WWII America: tin cans

During WW II,  civilians were asked to collect and carefully prepare their tin cans for melting.  As the poster reads, they were to remove tops and bottoms, take off paper labels, wash and flatten the cans firmly before taking them to a collection center.  The cans were urgently needed for ammunition. Today, many households aren't even asked to wash or pre-sort their cans to boost participation rates. Many people don't understand that it's still in America's self-interest to recycle.  Recycling tin cans makes sense because it requires less energy to make metals from used cans than to mine and smelt new ores.   At the very least, recyclers should wash their cans to reduce exposing MRF laborers to toxins and to make them less attractive to rodents.