What Items to Recycle in Arc Raiders Don’t Let Your Loot Go to Waste

So, you’ve just extracted from a tough mission in Arc Raiders. Your backpack is full, your heart is still racing from that close call with other players, and now you are standing in the Hub staring at your stash. It is probably overflowing with stuff. You might be looking at a pile of gears, wires, and old batteries, wondering, "What items to recycle in Arc Raiders to make the most of my space?"

If you are new to the game, the "Recycler" machine can seem a bit confusing. Do you break everything down? Do you sell it? You don’t want to throw away something rare that you need for a mission later. But you also need resources to craft better gear right now.

Don't worry. This guide will walk you through exactly what you should recycle and what you should keep. By the end, you will be a recycling expert, keeping your stash tidy and your ammunition stocked.

What is the Recycler and Why Should You Care?

Before we talk about specific items, let’s look at the machine itself. The Recycler is a crafting station in the Hub. Its job is to break down unwanted items into basic materials. Think of it like a trash compactor that actually gives you money back.

When you put an item into the Recycler, it gets destroyed. In return, you get Crafting Components. These are the white, green, and blue materials (like Metal Scraps, Polymer, or Electronic Parts) that you need to craft ammunition, medkits, and attachments.

If you are constantly running out of ammo during missions, you aren’t recycling enough. The main goal of recycling is to turn the junk you found in the field into useful gear for your next fight.

The Golden Rule: "Ammo Now vs. Missions Later"

When deciding what items to recycle in Arc Raiders, there is one simple rule you should keep in mind. It helps you avoid making a big mistake.

If you find an item that is used for a mission upgrade, keep it. If you find an item that is only used for crafting consumables, recycle it.

The game has two types of items:

1. Quest Items (Keep these): These look like old computers, specific data drives, or rare mechanical parts. You usually need to turn in 2 or 3 of these to upgrade your gear in the Hub. If you recycle these, you might have to play ten more matches to find another one.

2. Junk Items (Recycle these): These are common things like Worn Gears, Rusty Bolts, or Basic Wiring. They are everywhere. Their only purpose is to be recycled into crafting materials.

The "Always Recycle" List: Your Go-To Junk

If you find these items in the world, feel free to throw them into the machine as soon as you get back to the Hub. They are usually very common and are the best answer to "what items to recycle in Arc Raiders" if you need ammo quickly.

1. Basic Mechanical Parts
Items like Worn Gears, Rusty Springs, and Thin Metal Plates are the most common loot in the game. You will find them in toolboxes, on shelves in factories, and in abandoned vehicles.

• Why recycle them? They are heavy and take up space in your stash. They break down into Metal Scraps, which you need for basic ammunition.

• The Takeaway: If you see a stack of 10 Worn Gears, recycle them immediately.

2. Low-Grade Electronics
Look for items named "Sparse Wiring" or "Damaged Circuitry." These are usually white or grey in color, meaning they are the lowest quality.

• Why recycle them? Early in the game, you need Electronic Parts to make medkits and scope attachments. Keeping these junk electronics ensures you always have the materials to heal up.

• The Takeaway: Don't try to save them for a "rainy day." The rainy day is now. Recycle them to stay healthy.

3. Standard Polymers
You will find things like "Rough Plastic Casing" or "Basic Sealant Tubes."

• Why recycle them? These turn into Polymer, which is used for tactical gear and higher-tier backpack repairs.

• The Takeaway: They are bulky. Recycle them to free up space and make room for better loot.

The Tricky Part: What About Weapons and Attachments?

This is where a lot of players get stuck. You extract with an enemy’s gun. It’s not as good as your main weapon. Should you sell it or recycle it?

1. White (Common) and Green (Uncommon) Weapons
If you pick up a standard rifle or pistol that you don't want, you should usually recycle it.

• Why? Selling it to a vendor might give you a little bit of in-game currency. However, recycling it gives you rare mechanical parts that are harder to find in the world. Getting those parts allows you to craft modifications for your main weapon. Getting crafting materials is usually more valuable than getting a small amount of money.

2. Weapon Attachments (Scopes, Grips, Magazines)
This depends on your playstyle.

• Duplicates: If you already have the same scope in your stash, recycle the extra one. You don't need two of the same thing.

• Low-Tier Attachments: If you find a white or grey grip, recycle it. You will likely find a green or blue one soon.

• The Exception: If you find an attachment that is broken or damaged, definitely recycle it. It usually turns into high-quality parts.

Items You Should Keep (Do Not Recycle!)

To keep your stash healthy, you need to know what not to put in the machine. If you recycle these by accident, you will be upset with yourself later.

1. Mission-Specific Items (Red Borders or Quest Icons)
Sometimes an item will have a small icon in the corner, or the description will mention a specific upgrade.

• Examples: "Old Radio Transmitter" or "Security Access Card."

• Why keep them? These are usually part of a mission chain. If you recycle the only Security Access Card you find, you might have to wait days for the mission to reset or spend hours searching for another one. Keep these safe in your stash until you complete the mission.

2. High-Tier Crafting Components (The Blue and Purple Items)
Once you recycle items, you get components. But you should never recycle the good components.

• Examples: "Precision Mechanics" or "Advanced Neural Processors."

• Why keep them? These are used to craft the best ammunition types and the best armor in the game. If you accidentally recycle these thinking they are junk, you are basically throwing away a lot of hard work.

A Simple Step-by-Step Routine for the Hub

To make your life easier, follow this checklist every time you return from a mission. This will help you quickly decide what items to recycle in Arc Raiders.

1. Go to the Stash: Open your storage.

2. Identify Mission Items: Look at every item with a description you don't recognize. If it mentions a quest or an upgrade, put it directly into your stash. Do not touch it.

3. Stack Your Junk: Look for the items we talked about earlier: Worn Gears, Rusty Bolts, Damaged Wiring. Grab all of these.

4. Walk to the Recycler: Put all the junk items into the Recycler.

5. Craft Ammo: Take the materials you just got and craft the ammunition you are low on. (If you have a lot of materials, craft some medkits too).

6. Sell the Rest (Optional): If you have white or green weapons left over after recycling, you can sell them to a vendor for a little cash. This gives you money for healing items that you can't craft yet.

By following this routine, you will always have a steady supply of bullets and healing items. You will never go into a mission with an empty magazine again.

Why This Strategy Works

You might wonder why this guide tells you to recycle so much. This advice is based on how the game's economy works. In Arc Raiders, you will fail missions often. You will get shot, you will run out of ammo, and you will lose your gear.

If you keep all your junk items in your stash, you are just hoarding things that look nice but don't help you survive. The best players know that loot is temporary, but crafting materials are the real currency. They allow you to rebuild your loadout instantly.

By turning your junk into bullets and medkits, you are investing in your future raids. You are making sure that when you drop into the map, you are ready for anything. That is the mark of a true Raider.

So, next time you are staring at a full stash, remember this guide. Recycle the gears, keep the mission items, and craft that ammo. Your future self will thank you when you are the one walking out of a firefight, instead of respawning at the Hub.