Arc Raiders showers you with scrap: broken tech, trinkets, ARC components, fruit, keys, and more. With a tiny stash and expensive upgrades, the question becomes less “what can I recycle?” and more “what can I afford to lose?”
Recycling is central to progression, but many “Recyclable” items are also used in quests, workshop upgrades, or expeditions. Managing that tension is the core of the game’s economy.
How recycling works in Arc Raiders
Recycling is available from your inventory both in Speranza and during a raid, but the game handles those two situations differently.
| Context | UI term | How to access | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Speranza (workshop, stash, loadout) | Recycle |
Select an item in your inventory or stash, then press right-click on mouse or Y/Triangle on controller and choose Recycle. |
Shows an exact breakdown (e.g., “2x Metal Parts, 1x Processor”). Yields full component value. |
| Inside a raid | Salvage |
Open inventory in-raid, select an item, open the action menu, choose Salvage. |
Fewer and/or lower-tier components than recycling the same item back in Speranza. |
In both cases, once you confirm, the original item is gone and only the listed components remain. There’s no undo, and no way to reconstruct the original object from parts.
Recycling is separate from selling: you can also open the same action menu on an item and choose to sell it for Coin instead of breaking it down.
How the “Recyclable” and “Trinket” tags work
Arc Raiders quietly tells you a lot about an item’s role through its UI tags and description. That’s the first filter you should use before scrapping anything.
| Tag or icon | Where you see it | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Recyclable | Item description line; many items also sit in “Recyclable” category lists. | The item can be broken down into basic components. Its primary use is recycling, but it may still be required for workshop upgrades, quests, or expeditions. |
| Trinket + diamond icon | Item thumbnail and description (e.g., “Bloated Tuna Can”, “Silver Teaspoon Set”). | Pure value items. These are designed to be sold for Coin, not used in crafting or upgrades. |
| No tag, but materials listed under “Recycles To” | Loot tables and the recycle preview window. | Many components and enemy drops can be recycled even if they’re not labeled as “Recyclable” in their flavor text. |
Item descriptions also warn you if something is used elsewhere. Some will explicitly mention that they can upgrade a station or are needed for a quest; others only reveal that role in their “Keep for Quests/Workshop” usage.
Two rules emerge:
- If it’s a Trinket, treat it as Coin. Sell by default unless you need the Provisions value for an expedition stage.
- If it’s Recyclable, never mass-scrap it until you’re sure it isn’t on your outstanding checklist for quests, workshop upgrades, or expeditions.
Core materials you should always keep some of
The game is balanced around a small set of basic components that everything else flows into. Running out of these will stall your progress faster than any single rare drop.
| Material | Type | Common uses | Why you should stockpile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Parts | Basic Material | Ammo crafting, weapon crafting, many refinements, expedition Stage One (150x), numerous upgrades. | Ammo alone can drain hundreds; nearly every bench leans on Metal Parts. They’re the main bottleneck. |
| Rubber Parts | Basic Material | Shield rechargers, explosive crafting, expedition Stage One (200x), recycling output from ARC rubber items. | Essential for combat consumables and expedition prep. |
| Plastic Parts | Basic Material | Electronics, explosives, medical items, refinery recipes. | Feeds into Electrical Components, Synthesized Fuel, and more. |
| Fabric | Basic Material | Bandages, Durable Cloth, some armor-related scraps. | Higher-tier heals all climb out of Fabric and Durable Cloth. |
| Chemicals | Basic Material | Explosives, medical reagents, refined items like ARC Coolant. | Everything from basic grenades to Lab upgrades draws from Chemicals. |
| Assorted Seeds | Nature | Scrappy training currency, some refined items, trade with Celeste. | Seeds can be turned into other key components and used as a parallel economy. |
On top of those, there are refined materials that act as multipliers:
- Mechanical Components and Advanced Mechanical Components for weapons and high-tier ARC drops.
- Electrical Components and Advanced Electrical Components for shields, utilities, and expeditions.
- ARC Alloy and ARC Circuitry as the backbone of most advanced tech.
- Durable Cloth for fast bandages and medical upgrades.
These refined pieces are recyclable themselves, but they are almost always more valuable as ingredients than as raw materials.
Items that are safe to sell or recycle from the start
Some loot has no quest or workshop role at all. It simply exists to be converted into parts or money. These are the items you can clear out first when stash space is tight.
The table below focuses on named pieces with no recorded quest or workshop requirement. All of them return useful components when recycled; many are also decent Coin if sold as-is.
| Item | Category | Recycles into | Typical use | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agave | Nature (sell-only) | – | Value food item. | Always sell; no quest or upgrade use. |
| Agave Juice | Trinket | – | High-value provision. | Always sell. |
| Air Freshener | Trinket | – | Bedroom decoration/provision. | Always sell. |
| Alarm Clock | Recyclable | Processor + Plastic Parts | Electronics scrap. | Sell or recycle any amount; no quest or upgrade need. |
| ARC Coolant | Recyclable | 16x Chemicals | High-yield chemical source. | Always sell or recycle; no special usage. |
| ARC Flex Rubber | Recyclable | 16x Rubber Parts | High-yield rubber source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| ARC Performance Steel | Recyclable | 12x Metal Parts | High-yield metal source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| ARC Synthetic Resin | Recyclable | 14x Plastic Parts | High-yield plastic source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| ARC Thermo Lining | Recyclable | 16x Fabric | High-yield fabric source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Bloated Tuna Can | Trinket | – | Comedic value piece. | Always sell. |
| Breathtaking Snow Globe | Trinket | – | High-value decoration. | Always sell. |
| Broken Flashlight | Recyclable | Batteries + Metal Parts | Electronics scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Broken Guidance System | Recyclable | Processors | Electronics scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Broken Handheld Radio | Recyclable | Sensors + Wires | Electronics scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Broken Taser | Recyclable | Batteries + Wires | Electronics scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Burned ARC Circuitry | Recyclable | ARC Alloy | ARC tech scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Camera Lens | Recyclable | Plastic Parts | Optics scrap; has a one-off quest use for a “Movie Night” objective. | Keep one until that quest is done; sell or recycle extras. |
| Candle Holder | Recyclable | Metal Parts | Metal source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Coffee Pot | Trinket | – | Decoration/provision. | Always sell. |
| Coolant | Recyclable | Chemicals + Oil | Lower-tier chemical mix. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Cooling Coil | Recyclable | Chemicals + Steel Springs | Explosive/chemical input. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Crumpled Plastic Bottle | Recyclable | Plastic Parts | Basic plastic scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Degraded ARC Rubber | Recyclable | Rubber Parts | Rubber source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Diving Goggles | Recyclable | Rubber Parts | Rubber-heavy scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Dried-Out ARC Resin | Recyclable | Plastic Parts | Plastic source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Expired Pasta | Trinket | – | Provision gag item. | Always sell. |
| Faded Photograph | Trinket | – | Used for two minor quest interactions. | Keep two if you still see related objectives; otherwise sell. |
| Fine Wristwatch | Trinket | – | Mid-tier value item. | Always sell. |
| Frying Pan | Recyclable | Metal Parts | Metal-heavy scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Household Cleaner | Recyclable | Chemicals | Chemical source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Ice Cream Scooper | Recyclable | Metal Parts | Metal source. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Impure ARC Coolant | Recyclable | Chemicals | Weaker chemical yield than ARC Coolant. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Industrial Charger | Recyclable | Metal Parts + Voltage Converter | Electronics scrap. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Industrial Magnet | Recyclable | Metal Parts + Magnets | Good source of magnets. | Always sell or recycle. |
| Lance’s Mixtape (5th Edition) | Trinket | – | High-value collectible. | Always sell once you’re done admiring it. |
| Music Album | Trinket | – | Collection item. | Always sell. |
| Music Box | Trinket | – | High-tier trinket. | Always sell. |
| Painted Box | Trinket | – | Decoration/provision. | Always sell. |
| Poster of Natural Wonders | Trinket | – | Bedroom wall piece. | Always sell. |
| Pottery | Trinket | – | Decoration. | Always sell. |
| Red Coral Jewelry | Trinket | – | High-value jewelry. | Always sell. |
| Rosary | Trinket | – | Personal relic. | Always sell. |
| Rubber Duck | Trinket | – | Decoration. | Always sell. |
| Silver Teaspoon Set | Trinket | – | Mid–high value trinket. | Always sell. |
| Statuette | Trinket | – | Decoration. | Always sell. |
| Torn Book | Trinket | – | Flavor loot. | Always sell. |
| Vase | Trinket | – | Decoration. | Always sell. |
| Volcanic Rock | Misc | – | Collectible rock. | Free to sell if you don’t care about flavor; no systems use. |
These items are safe to liquidate whenever you need space or Coin. If an object is clearly categorized as a key, weapon, augment, healing item, or top-side material, treat it differently.
Recyclable items with one-time quest or upgrade uses
Some “Recyclable” objects are secretly gates for benches, Scrappy, or main quests. The pattern is usually “keep a specific number for a specific purpose, then feel free to break down the rest.”
| Item | Primary non-recycle use | How many to keep | When it becomes safe to recycle/sell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot | Scrappy level-ups (15x total) | At least 15 before you finish Scrappy level 5. | After Scrappy is maxed (level 5), treat as seeds: sell or recycle. |
| Lemon | Scrappy upgrade (3x) | 3 to cover Scrappy requirements. | After Scrappy is fully trained. |
| Prickly Pear | Scrappy upgrade (6x) | 6 for Scrappy levels. | Once Scrappy is done. |
| Olives | Scrappy upgrade (6x) | 6 total. | After Scrappy level 4. |
| Mushroom | Scrappy final tier (12x) | 12 total. | Once Scrappy is maxed. |
| Very Comfortable Pillow | Scrappy final tier (3x) | 3 total. | After final Scrappy upgrade. |
| Cat Bed | Scrappy upgrade (1x) | 1 for Scrappy. | Once Scrappy reaches the tier that needs it. |
| Great Mullein | “Doctor’s Orders” quest ingredient | 1 for that quest. | After turning it in; others can be converted into seeds. |
| Syringe | “Doctor’s Orders” quest + Medical Lab upgrades via Rusted Shut Medical Kit | Enough to cover one quest turn-in and 2 in Rusted Shut Medical Kits for Med Lab 3. | After Med Lab level 3 and the quest are completed. |
| Antiseptic | Medical Lab level 3 (8x) + “Doctor’s Orders” | At least 8 for upgrades plus what’s needed for the quest. | After Med Lab is maxed and the quest is done. |
| Tick Pod | Medical Lab level 2 (8x) | 8 to reach Med Lab 2. | After Med Lab 2 upgrade is applied. |
| Cracked Bioscanner | Medical Lab level 2 (2x) | 2 for the bench; the rest can be recycled for Batteries and Rubber. | After Med Lab 2. |
| Rusted Shut Medical Kit | Medical Lab level 3 (3x) | 3 for the upgrade. | After Med Lab 3 is reached. |
| Rusted Tools | Gunsmith level 2 (3x) | 3 for that upgrade. | Once the Gunsmith hits level 2 and any fist-weapons bench variant is covered. |
| Rusted Gear | Gunsmith level 3 (3x) | 3 total. | After Gunsmith 3. |
| Hornet Driver | Gear Bench level 2 (5x) + “The Trifecta” quest | 5 for upgrades and 2 for the quest. | Once the bench and quest are done. |
| Wasp Driver | Gunsmith level 2 (8x) | 8 total. | After Gunsmith 2. |
| Sentinel Firing Core | Gunsmith level 3 (4x) | 4 total. | After Gunsmith 3. |
| Bastion Cell | Gear Bench level 3 (6x) | 6 for the bench. | After Gear Bench 3; extra cells are prime recyclables. |
| Industrial Battery | Gear Bench level 3 (3x) | 3 total. | After Gear Bench 3. |
| Fireball Burner | Refiner level 2 (8x) | 8 for that upgrade. | After Refiner 2. |
| Bombardier Cell | Refiner level 3 (6x) | 6 total. | After Refiner 3. |
| Snitch Scanner | Utility Station level 2 (6x) + “The Trifecta” quest | 6 for the bench plus what’s required for the quest itself. | When those are finished. |
| Damaged Heat Sink | Utility Station level 2 (2x) | 2 total. | After Utility Station 2. |
| Leaper Pulse Unit | Utility Station level 3 (4x) + Expedition Stage Four (3x) + “Into the Fray” | 4 + 3 + any quest requirement. | After Utility 3, expeditions, and the quest are complete. |
| Rocketeer Driver | Explosives Station level 3 (3x) | 3 total. | After Explosives 3. |
| Synthesized Fuel | Explosives Station level 2 (3x) | 3 total. | Once that bench reaches level 2. |
| Crude Explosives | Explosives Station levels 2 and 3 (5x + 3x via Laboratory Reagents) | At least 8 in total. | After Explosives 3. |
| Surveyor Vault | Medical Lab level 3 (5x) + “Mixed Signals” quest | 5 for the bench and 1 for the quest. | Only recycle extras after both the quest and Med Lab 3 are done. |
| Water Pump | “Unexpected Initiative” quest | 1, and it must usually be extracted in the same raid as the matching Fertilizer. | After the quest turn-in. |
| Fertilizer | “Unexpected Initiative” quest | 1 for the paired objective. | After that quest step. |
For these, the safe pattern is simple: track your workshop and expedition requirements, hold the exact quantities listed, then treat any duplicates as high-value recycling fuel.
Items that matter for expeditions
Expeditions add a long-term layer on top of the usual stash management. Each of the four preparation stages demands a mix of raw materials, refined components, and a few specific gadgets.
| Stage | Items required | What not to recycle or sell early |
|---|---|---|
| Stage One | 150x Metal Parts, 200x Rubber Parts, 80x ARC Alloy, 15x Steel Spring | Keep a buffer of Metal Parts, Rubber Parts, ARC Alloy, and Steel Spring instead of zeroing them out via recycling. |
| Stage Two | 35x Durable Cloth, 30x Wires, 30x Electrical Components, 5x Cooling Fan | Cooling Fan is the key here; avoid recycling all of them for parts. Durable Cloth, Wires, and Electrical Components are also in demand for benches. |
| Stage Three | 5x Light Bulb, 30x Battery, 20x Sensors, 1x Exodus Modules | Light Bulb is a Trinket with a real job; don’t sell the last five. Batteries and Sensors are also used for gear crafting. |
| Stage Four | 5x Humidifier, 5x Advanced Electrical Components, 3x Magnetic Accelerator, 3x Leaper Pulse Unit | Humidifier is easy to misread as junk; keep five. Leaper Pulse Unit is already needed for the Utility Station. |
| Stage Five | Large Coin-value quotas across combat, survival, provisions, and materials | At this point almost anything can be submitted; prioritize turning in whole items rather than their recycled components for maximum value. |
When to sell versus recycle
Once you know which items have one-shot uses and which are pure filler, the last decision is whether each surplus piece should be turned into Coin or components.
| Situation | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| You’re short on stash space and can’t afford an expansion yet. | Sell high-value trinkets, then recycle heavy recyclables. | Trinkets don’t turn into other systems; they’re built to be sold. Recyclables free space while feeding your crafting pool. |
| You’re flush with Coin but starved for basic parts like Metal or Rubber. | Recycle metal-heavy and rubber-heavy items. | Items such as ARC Performance Steel, ARC Flex Rubber, Garlic Press, Rubber Pad, and Ruined Accordion convert directly into large amounts of basics. |
| You’re planning an expedition stage focused on materials. | Submit intact items instead of recycled parts. | Crafting and recycling usually reduce Coin value. To hit Coin quotas, submit the unbroken guns, trinkets, and consumables. |
| You’re in-raid and over weight or slot capacity. | Salvage low-value recyclables or basic materials you have plenty of. | On-raid Salvage returns less. Use it for emergency space only, not as a primary farming method. |
| You’re deciding what to keep long-term after maxing benches and finishing quests. | Keep rare ARC enemy drops and a pool of refined components; recycle or sell the rest. | Enemy drops like Bastion Cell, Sentinel Firing Core, and Rocketeer Driver remain strong inputs for late-game crafting even once upgrades are done. |
As a simple rule of thumb: sell diamonds, recycle wrenches. If an item looks like a story prop or shares its name with a bench requirement, double-check before scrapping the last copy.
Arc Raiders’ inventory friction is deliberate: knowledge of what to keep is a form of progression. Once you recognize which scraps are secretly upgrade tokens, which are expedition tickets, and which are literal junk, your stash stops feeling like a junk drawer and starts to look like a build in progress.
