ARC Raiders throws an insane amount of loot at you. Some of it looks useless. Some of it looks valuable. And the worst part?
The game doesn’t clearly tell you what’s safe to recycle and what will completely block your progression later.
Recycle the wrong item once, and you’ll feel it for the next 10–20 raids.
This guide exists so that never happens again.
Below, you’ll find:
- Exactly what to recycle in ARC Raiders
- Items you should never recycle
- The difference between recycling, salvaging, and selling
- A complete safe-to-recycle table
- Pro inventory and progression tips used by experienced players
Nothing skipped. Nothing vague.
How Recycling Works in ARC Raiders
Before touching any lists, you need to understand how ARC Raiders’ crafting and loot systems work.
Recycling vs Salvaging (Very Important)
- Recycling
Done in Speranza from your inventory
→ Gives full component output - Salvaging
Done inside a raid
→ Gives fewer materials, often much fewer
Rule:
👉 If you care about efficiency, always recycle in Speranza.
Salvaging should only be used when:
- Your inventory is full mid-raid
- You absolutely need space to extract
Core Recycling Rules (Follow These Always)
These rules are consistent across all competitor guides, Reddit cheat sheets, and community tools:
- Recycle in Speranza, not in-raid
- Expect 30–60% value loss when recycling high-rarity items
- Some items are recyclable but should never be recycled
- Epic items are situational, not automatic keeps
- If you don’t need the components right now, selling may be smarter
Items You Should NEVER Recycle (Trap Recyclables)
These items are the biggest progression traps in ARC Raiders.
Yes, they can be recycled. No, you should not do it.
❌ Never Recycle These Items
- Motor
- Cooling Coil
- Laboratory Reagents
- Rusted Gears
- Industrial Batteries
- Rusted Shut Medical Kits
Why These Are Traps
- Extremely low spawn rate
- Required for Workshop upgrades, quests, or endgame progression
- Painfully slow to replace if lost
Many players accidentally recycle one of these early and hit a hard progression wall later.
If you remember only one thing from this article, remember this list.
Items You Should Always Keep (Even If Inventory Is Full)
These items are universally agreed upon by the community as must-keeps:
- Fruits
- Mushrooms
- Lemon
- Apricot
- Cooling Fan
- Light Bulb
- Motors
- Laboratory Reagents
- Rusted Gears
- Industrial Batteries
- Rusted Shut Medical Kits
- Surveyor Vaults
Even if you don’t need them now, you will need them later.
Safe Items to Recycle in ARC Raiders (Full Table)
Below is a complete safe-to-recycle list, compiled from Reddit cheat sheets, ARCTracker, and multiple competitor guides.
These items:
- Are not required for quests
- Are not progression blockers
- Are commonly recycled for materials
✅ Safe-to-Recycle Items Table
| Item Name | Rarity | Recycles Into |
| Alarm Clock | Rare | 6× Plastic Parts, 1× Processor |
| ARC Coolant | Rare | 16× Chemicals |
| ARC Flex Rubber | Uncommon | 16× Rubber Parts |
| ARC Performance Steel | Uncommon | 12× Metal Parts |
| ARC Thermo Lining | Uncommon | 16× Fabric |
| Broken Flashlight | Rare | 2× Battery, 6× Metal Parts |
| Camera Lens | Uncommon | 8× Plastic Parts |
| Coolant | Rare | 5× Chemicals, 2× Oil |
| Cooling Coil | Rare | 6× Chemicals, 2× Steel Springs |
| Diving Goggles | Rare | 12× Rubber Parts |
| Expired Respirator | Rare | 8× Rubber, 4× Fabric |
| Headphones | Rare | 7× Rubber, 1× Speaker Component |
| Humidifier | Rare | 2× Canister, 2× Wires |
| Industrial Charger | Rare | 5× Metal Parts, 1× Voltage Converter |
| Ruined Accordion | Rare | 18× Rubber Parts, 3× Steel Springs |
| Spotter Relay | Uncommon | 2× Electrical Components, 1× ARC Alloy |
| Turbo Pump | Rare | 3× Oil, 1× Mechanical Components |
| Water Pump | Rare | 4× Metal Parts, 2× Oil |
| Torn Blanket | Rare | 12× Fabric |
| Rusted Bolts | Uncommon | 8× Metal Parts |
| Rusty ARC Steel | Uncommon | 8× Metal Parts |
| Crumpled Plastic Bottle | Uncommon | 4× Plastic Parts |
These items are ideal for farming common and uncommon materials, which are used constantly across crafting and upgrades.
Epic Items: Recycle, Sell, or Keep?
Epic (purple) items confuse a lot of players.
The Truth About Epic Items
Epic does not mean:
- Always useful
- Always worth keeping
- Always worth recycling
Most epic materials are:
- Used for specific boss fights
- Required only for high-tier crafting
- Easily farmable later if you know locations
Epic Items Often Better Sold Than Recycled
- Magnetic Accelerator
- Ion Sputter
- Exodus Modules
- Leaper Pulse Unit
If you’re not:
- Preparing for boss fights
- Crafting legendary gear
- Upgrading high-tier workshops
👉 Sell them instead of recycling.
Coins now are often more valuable than components you won’t use for hours.
Inventory Management Tips (So You Don’t Mess This Up)
Good recycling starts with good inventory habits.
Best Practices Used by Experienced Players
- Separate loot by purpose, not rarity
- Keep quest and workshop items easily visible
- Recycle low-impact items immediately after raids
- Avoid hoarding “just in case” items
- Track Scrappy, Workshop, and Expedition items
The cleaner your stash, the fewer mistakes you make.
Sell vs Recycle vs Salvage (Quick Breakdown)
- Sell → Get coins
- Recycle → Break item into components (best in Speranza)
- Salvage → Break item during raid (less materials)
Use salvage only when forced.
Recycle strategically.
Sell when components aren’t needed.
Final Thoughts: Recycling Is Progression Control
Recycling in ARC Raiders isn’t a side mechanic.
It directly controls:
- How fast you upgrade
- How smooth your progression feels
- How much unnecessary grinding you do
If you:
- Avoid trap recyclables
- Recycle safely in Speranza
- Stop hoarding useless epic items
You’ll progress faster than most players, without playing more hours.
