AIM Recycling’s new kids’ book turns metal recycling into an adventure

AIM Recycling is best known for the recycling and recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals across 135 dedicated facilities, but this family-owned Canadian metal processor doesn't just focus on the nitty-gritty of everyday scrapyard tasks — the company also prides itself on its commitment to community engagement, environmental standards, and sustainable practices. 

In line with these values, AIM Recycling recently published a children's book that focuses on educating kids about the importance of metal recycling while showing them that everyone can contribute to a circular economy, no matter how small.

Outside of education, many essential industries are experiencing a major shift as older generations retire and younger workers step into key roles. Attracting fresh talent in metal recycling is critical to sustaining the circular economy, and that spark of curiosity can begin at any age.

An adventure for kids 

Dinos in the Scrap Yard is the brainchild of AIM Recycling's Corey Cooper, director of marketing, and co-authored by digital marketing specialist Alba Estrada, to create an engaging story that breaks down the complex metal recycling process. 

The idea took shape after two moments sparked the image of dinosaurs roaming a scrapyard. The first came at AIM's Ontario facility after the company installed a 400-metre barrier to dampen the often harsh sounds that come with the metal recycling process. The day the wall was installed, Cooper was at the scrapyard with his son, who pointed out that the new barrier looked similar to the fences seen in the Jurassic Park movies. 

Then, during a family day held by AIM Recycling, kids on a tour of the facility were inspired by Director of Maintenance & Special Projects, Karl Marcotte, as he presented the striking resemblance between AIM's large industrial machines and these prehistoric creatures. From there, the idea of dinosaurs in a scrapyard was cemented in Cooper's mind as the perfect way to get kids engaged with metal recycling. 

Cooper shared his mission when writing the book: "The idea was to create something unique that we can use to educate the youth about protecting our planet, reducing waste, and keeping materials in circulation." 

Engaging kids with a visually compelling narrative about dinosaurs was the perfect way to connect real-world responsibility and function with the magic of storytelling.

Taking scrap yard education into the classroom 

The book is meant to be an easy-to-use educational tool, whether in the classroom or at home. Cooper read it to an elementary class during their recycling unit earlier this year: "They were trying to find a key speaker who could come in and explain recycling, and I gladly volunteered. Armed with a printed copy of our book, I started with the basics of metal recycling and tailored the talk to illustrate the lifecycle of aluminum can recycling, as it is the easiest lifecycle for the children to understand." 

The next day, the school created its very own pop can and battery recycling drive to raise money for a local charity. At the end of the unit, the entire class was invited to the AIM Recycling facility in Hamilton, Ontario, to enjoy a guided bus tour of the yard, sell their batteries and pop cans, and create their very own "Dinos in the Scrap Yard" experience. The kids were able to see how pop cans came in and moved through the entire recycling process. The class had the unique opportunity to experience collection, separation, and manufacturing firsthand. 

Cooper says that his top priority with the book is "educating youth on protecting the planet and the circular economy. But it's also about that limitless imagination piece and how the power of metal recycling can inspire great adventures."

Dinos in the Scrap Yard: A Metal Recycling Adventure! can be purchased online through Amazon U.S. and Amazon Canada.