Aluminum recycling info? Aluminum smelting also produces sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide, two toxic gases that are key elements in smog and acid rain. In addition, every ton of new aluminum cans that must be produced to replace cans that were not recycled requires five tons of bauxite ore, which must be strip-mined, crushed, washed and refined into alumina before it is smelted. That process creates about five tons of caustic mud that can contaminate both surface water and groundwater and, in turn, damage the health of people and animals.

Aluminum foil is something many of us use (or overuse) when covering dishes of food, cooking, etc. But once you’re finished, can it be recycled? Cans, furniture and other products made from aluminum are very easy to recycle. In fact, aluminum and other metals are among the easiest items to recycle because they can be melted and turned back into new products almost indefinitely. It is highly energy and resource intensive to create new aluminum, so it is definitely worth recycling the metal whenever possible. One of the biggest departures from the “aluminum is easy to recycle” rule is aluminum foil.

Find a drop-off location for aluminum foil near you using our Recycling Locator. Aluminum is one of the highest-value materials you can recycle, and it can be reprocessed into new aluminum in just 60 days Nearly 75 percent of aluminum produced in the U.S. is still being used; Americans dispose of enough aluminum foil annually to build an entire aircraft fleet. Read even more details on is aluminum foil recyclable.

While most recycled aluminum is in the form of cans, aluminum foil is technically recyclable, but there’s a catch: It needs to be clean — that is, free of food residue, as grease or food residue can contaminate the other recyclables during the recycling process. In part because of the issues with contamination, and the reality that most people are unlikely to rinse their aluminum foil before recycling it, some waste haulers will not accept aluminum foil for recycling; the damage soiled aluminum foil does to other recyclables can outweigh the benefit of trying to recycle the aluminum foil.

Putting lightweight, recycled aluminum into cars makes them lighter and more efficient, as well. In 2002 the average car contained 220 to 265 lbs. of aluminum. As of 2011, cars contain an average of 265 to 330 lbs. of aluminum. (see References 4). Lighter, more efficient cars save fossil fuels. Recycling Aluminum Helps Satisfy an Increasing Demand! Manufacturers are also becoming more efficient in their use of aluminum. Today’s aluminum can weighs .0466 oz., which is more than 15 percent lighter than a can made in 1993. Discover extra info on https://www.ablison.com/how-to-recycle-aluminum-foil-and-is-it-biodegradable/.