Aluminum recycling

The aluminum is a metal that can be recycled lots of times; actually, there is no limit

to how many times aluminum can be recycled. Aluminum is also considered a

sustainable metal, which means it can be recycled again and again with no loss of its

properties.

Aluminum cans are 100-percent recyclable, making them the most recyclable of all

materials. The aluminum can you toss into your recycling bin today will be completely

recycled and back on the store shelf in just 60 days.

This process also saves a huge amount of electric energy; in fact, recycling

aluminum takes 95% less energy to make aluminum from bauxite ore than to recycle

old aluminum into new.

Everything starts with some consumer throwing aluminum cans and foil into a recycle

bin, the aluminum is then collected and taken to a treatment plant. There, the

aluminum is sorted and cleaned, becoming ready for reprocessing. It then goes

through a re-melt process and turns into molten aluminum, this removes the coatings

and inks that may be present on the aluminum. The aluminum is then made into

large blocks called ingots. Each ingot contains about 1.6 million drinks cans. The

ingots are sent to mills where they are rolled out, this reduces the thickness of the

metal and also gives the aluminum greater flexibility and strength. This is then made

into aluminum products such as cans, chocolate wrapping and ready meal

packaging.

Brazil is the leader of the world in recycling aluminum cans; over 95 percent of the

aluminum cans are recycled. The USA and Japan are respectively, the second and

third countries, that most recycle the aluminum.

Vinícius Elias LIMA

MAT 4