The cans will eventually rust and break down, but throwing them away is a waste of valuable metals. In the recycling process, the cans are put into a huge container with holes in the bottom. This container is immersed in a caustic solution which dissolves the tin from off the cans. Then the steel cans are washed and sold as high grade steel. The dissolved tin is then removed from the caustic solution by electrolysis and made into ingots which are then sold to companies requiring tin.
Paper is made from trees.
Paper is recycled by first shredding it into small pieces and mixing it with water. This mixture is beaten into a mush-like pulp which flows onto a moving screen through which most of the water passes. The wood or paper fibers remain. The fibers are pressed through heavy rollers that remove more water and then sent through steam-heated dryers. The result is recycled paper.