Why recycle aluminum

Globally, more than half of all the aluminum cans produced and sold every year are thrown away and never recycled, which means they have to be replaced by new cans made from virgin materials.

One simple and effective way to increase aluminum recycling is for governments to require consumers to pay a refundable deposit on all beverage containers sold in their jurisdictions. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content.

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ACS-Hach Programs Learn about financial support for future and current high school chemistry teachers. In the Western world, recycling often feels like a chore. It is something we should do, like exercising and eating a healthy diet. This is in stark contrast to the situation in India where recycling is a livelihood for thousands of people who would otherwise have no way of making a living.

The government does not run any recycling programs, and garbage is dumped in big containers outside of the cities. Unemployed Indians often roam around the containers, looking for any material that can be recycled. The gathered waste is sold to small recycling plants that operate with basic technology and in poor conditions.

Many of these plants are located in a slum town, called Dharavi, in Mumbai, the economic capital of India. Employees work long hours for low salaries, but they are grateful to have jobs in a country where unemployment is high. He is 15 years old and earns a living by recycling aluminum scrap. Every day, he wakes up just before 7 a. He has an hour for lunch and then continues working until 8 p. His job is to melt the aluminum scrap in a furnace all day long.

At the end of the day, Muktar sleeps in a bed that is right next to the furnace. Hamed is one of thousands of Indians who live in Dharavi, one of the largest slum towns in South Asia, and make money by recycling and reusing nearly every aluminum material they can find.

Not only do these people support themselves, but they also created a multimillion-dollar industry that is changing the regional economy and is allowing people to earn money.

In Dharavi, aluminum recycling involves three important steps. First, aluminum products that have been used and thrown away, especially old soda and beer cans, are collected. Second, the cans are soaked in acid, so the designs and brand names are removed. Third, the cans are crushed and melted in a furnace. Hamed works in a plant that receives crushed cans and then melts them in a coal-powered furnace.

Nearly 75 percent of all aluminum produced is still in use today. If you do not agree with our use of cookies, please change the current settings found in our Cookie Policy. Otherwise, you agree to the use of the cookies as they are currently set. Skip to main content. Remember me. Request new password. Search form Search. The Aluminum Advantage. Aluminum Advantage. Product Markets.

Members Area. Home » Sustainability » Aluminum Recycling. Rather, they should be enhanced with the developing technology available, keeping the specific needs of the location in mind.

During the workshop, it became clear that participants have a common goal but many solutions. Looking at the needs of individual states and communities allows for a multitude of these solutions to be put in place while increasing the amount of recycled aluminum overall. In a perfect world, a one-size-fits-all method easily could be implemented everywhere. However, given the complexities of different systems around the world, acknowledging the need to improve recycling rates while working out a solution to meet that goal within each specific community is more important than trying to come to one conclusion.

While everyone does not need to use the same solution to prevent wasting aluminum, everyone must keep the same mission in mind. Recycling aluminum is worth it. Casella Waste Systems Inc. Axion Polymers , United Kingdom, calls the U. Governments introduce an 8 to 22 pence deposit fee to consumers for all beverage containers, which is reimbursed once the containers are returned. Concerns have been raised that implementing a DRS will impact existing curbside recycling programs with fewer PET bottles in household collections; however, McKinlay argues a DRS will deliver better quality bottles for recycling.

Although there may be some impact, the bigger picture is that more material overall will be recycled back into high-quality products. DRS should be implemented as part of a broader reform of how we manage and recycle packaging, which should include extended producer responsibility to remove the cost burden from local authorities. Axion works with government agencies, local authorities and companies on the practical development of new processing and collection methods.

Green Africa , a Kenya-based plastics recycler. The investment will allow Mr. Green Africa to expand and build on its aggregation model that enables it to scale the trade of recyclables while building a strong and reliable supplier network.

It will lead to increased processing capacity to produce higher value recycled products in larger volumes to supply consumer goods companies, DOB Equiity says.

Green Africa. We believe we are in the right place, at the right time, to create a blueprint for emerging markets to provide a circular solution to the plastic challenge and need partners like DOB Equity and Global Innovation Fund that see this opportunity. Green Africa can work together with companies and provide an example for the plastics value chain globally. We look forward to engaging further with the team to realize the potential of this business.

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