Aluminum cans are easy to recycle but many people throw them away. In 2009, only 50.7% of cans sold were recycled in the US, according to the EPA. Recycling aluminum cans saves a significant amount of energy compared to producing aluminum from bauxite ore, and it reduces carbon emissions and landfill waste. One recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours. The recycling process involves collecting, sorting, cleaning, melting, and reforming aluminum into new products.

1. M AT E R I A L S T H E C O M M U N I T Y N E E D S TO R E C Y C L E
ALUMINIUM CANS

2. Aluminum cans are easy to collect and
recycle, but many people throw them out
anyway. According to the Environmental
Protection Agency, the people recycled
only 50.7 percent of cans sold in 2009.
Recycling aluminum cans saves a
considerable amount of energy; it also
reduces carbon dioxide emissions and the
amount of waste headed into landfills.
Collecting your cans for recycling is an
important step you can take to help the
environment.
According to the EPA, the people threw
out 3.4 million tons of aluminum in 2009 --
roughly 1.4 percent of the total waste
stream. Moreover, the more aluminum
recycled, the less manufacturers need to
produce.
Refining aluminum from
bauxite requires a
considerable amount of
energy.

3. IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING
ALUMINIUM:
Recycling just one
aluminium can saves
enough energy to power a
TV set for three hours.
Recycling aluminium cans
saves 95 per cent of the
energy it would take to make
new metal from bauxite ore.

4. ABOUT ALUMINIUM CAN RECYCLING:
During recycling the cans are
crushed, then melted in a
furnace. The liquid aluminium
is then placed in moulds for
shaping new aluminium
products.
In 2005, Australians recycled
over two billion aluminium
cans.
An aluminium can is 100%
recyclable; there are no labels
or covers to be removed.

5. CANS
Re-melted Sent
Transformed
Collected Used
Sorted and
cleaned
Converted
RECYCLING PROCESS

6. 1. The consumer throws aluminium cans and
foil into a recycle bin.
2. The aluminium is then collected and taken
to a treatment plant.
3. In the treatment plant the aluminium is
sorted and cleaned ready for reprocessing.
4. It then goes through a re-melted process
and turns into molten aluminium, this
removes the coatings and inks that may be
present on the aluminium.

7. 5. The aluminium is converted in large blocks
called ingots. Each ingot contains about 1.6
million drinks cans.
6. The ingots are sent to mills where they are
rolled out, this gives the aluminium greater
flexibility and strength.
7. This is Transformed in aluminium products
such as cans, chocolate wrapping and ready
meal packaging.
8. In as little as 6 weeks, the recycled
aluminium products are then sent back to
the shops ready to be used again.