How to Recycle Door Locks

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Things You'll Need

  • Phillips head screwdriver (optional)

  • Magnet

Recycling door locks makes sense for the environment.

From chain locks to deadbolts to simple hook-and-eye locks, door locks are made of one highly recyclable material: metal. This makes door-lock recycling easy. Because metal can be melted down and re-made into other objects, you save on natural resources and get rewarded with good feelings and a little cash in your pocket.

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Step 1

Remove screws from your door locks. You can reuse them around the house.

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Step 2

Touch a magnet to each door lock. If the magnet sticks, it's ferrous metal. All types of ferrous metal can be melted down together. Separate out locks that stick to the magnet from those that don't. Don't skip this step: You'll get a higher price if you sort them out, rather than selling them as mixed metals.

Step 3

Call local scrap metal yards and ask what their buying prices are for ferrous and nonferrous metal. Call several places so you can see who has the best price. Check salvage yards, which buy metal, and your municipal recycling program, which won't pay but may accept the metal.

Step 4

Take the locks to the scrap metal buyer who offers you the most to finish recycling them.

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