How to recycle aluminum at home
Aluminum recycling in Barcelona helps to preserve natural resources and that is great news for the fight against climate change. In fact, a great energy saving is achieved, because it saves almost 100% of energy if we compare it with what would be necessary for the production of primary aluminum.
Recycled aluminum is a fundamental part of our daily life, since it is one of the most recycled materials and let’s not forget that to enjoy all the advantages we have mentioned it is necessary to deposit it in the appropriate container, at a domestic level and hire the services of a company specialized in the industrial management of metallic waste, as far as industries are concerned.
Aluminum is a completely recyclable material and reduces waste generation. It is a sustainable material that also has a long durability and a great resistance, since once recovered the recycling process does not alter its properties, so it is an excellent raw material to manufacture new products.
Advantages of recycling aluminum
When aluminum is exposed to air and moisture, an oxide layer is formed that protects the surface from further oxidation. This self-protective oxide layer gives it the resistance it possesses against deterioration due to atmospheric agents or industrial environments. Anodizing treatments can also be used to improve the resistance of the surface oxide layer.
Aluminum conducts heat and electricity excellently. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is approximately 50-60 percent of that of copper, which allows its application in the large-scale production of cookware. Thermal conductivity refers to the transfer from one medium to another; therefore, aluminum heat exchangers are used in the chemical, food and aircraft industries. The high conductivity of aluminum (1350) reaches approximately 62 percent of the international annealed copper standard (IACS) and makes it a good electrical conductor for one third of the specific gravity of copper.
What is the importance of recycling aluminum
Aluminum is not only found in cans, but also in airplanes, cars, bicycles, electronic devices and household appliances, etc. It fits very well in different environments due to its properties. It is light, resistant, malleable and conducts electricity and heat.
Did you know that 80 soda cans can be made into a bicycle tire, 8 canning jars can be transformed into a cooking pot or 550 aluminum cans can be made into a chair? In addition, each recycled metal container has its impact on the fight against global warming, since recycling 6 aluminum cans counteracts the emission of 10 minutes of an exhaust pipe.
How many times can aluminum be recycled? Aluminum is one of the most recyclable materials. Like glass, it can be recycled 100%, ad infinitum, without losing any of its physical properties: lightness, malleability, strength, protection against the influences of light, grease and oxygen, and its ability to conduct heat and electricity. Its recycling is a good example of circular economy.
Aluminum recycling pdf
The amount of aluminum and steel cans Americans use every day could cover the country’s needs for airplanes every three months. Although all metals are recyclable, most scrap metal is not recycled. Governments and environmentalists are promoting metal recycling, which has a multitude of economic and environmental benefits, but also has some drawbacks.
Non-iron metals, such as aluminum and steel cans, have some of the highest recycling rates. Statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (better known as EPA) show that 48.2% of aluminum cans are recycled, along with 62.8% of steel cans. Of the 250 million tons of waste entering the municipal waste stream, metals account for 21 million tons or 8.4%.
A few preventive steps can optimize the benefits of metals recycling while reducing the disadvantages. Clean any steel or aluminum cans before taking them to the recycling center; recycling plants usually pay more for dirt-free metal. Some recycling centers may ask that the metals be separated. If a magnet does not stick to a metal product, it is probably aluminum.