Have you ever wondered what aluminum cans can be recycled into? Well, the answer to that question is a lot!
Aluminum cans are one of the most collected recycling items and one of the easiest materials for recycling companies to process. In addition, aluminum is very sustainable and is of high value in the recycling industry.
In this blog post, we’ll touch on the most common things that aluminum cans can be recycled into.
1. Aluminum Cans
The most popular use of recycling aluminum cans is – you guessed it – more aluminum cans. Aluminum can be melted and made into new products continuously. Plus, it only takes two months to melt the old aluminum can down, turn it into a brand new one, and send it out for consumers to buy. This is why it’s important to remember to recycle aluminum cans and why so many places will pay for you to turn in your old recycled materials.
However, while this is the primary use of recycled aluminum cans, aluminum can be recycled into many other materials.
2. Airplane Parts
Besides more cans, recycled aluminum can also be turned into airplane parts. Aluminum is a strong material that can withstand the pressure of flying through the air. Recycled aluminum has even been used to make planes in Europe.
3. Car Parts
Did you know that many car parts can be made out of aluminum? Due to its solid and durable nature, it’s perfect for making car parts. In fact, it can be used to make the body or frame of the vehicle, transmission, wheels, lamps, electrical wiring, air conditioner condenser, engine parts, and magnets.
4. Fences
Recycled aluminum can also be made into aluminum fences. Aluminum fences are often used to keep animals out of gardens and your private property and farewell in the elements due to their strong nature.
5. Baseball Bats
Aluminum can also be recycled to make baseball bats. Baseball players often prefer aluminum bats over wooden ones because they are lighter and stronger, giving them the best chance of hitting home runs!
6. Furniture
A lot of recycled aluminum is turned into furniture you can find in your home, such as chairs, tables, and desks. However, the most popular use of it is for furniture is outdoor patio furniture.
(Photo by Inspirationfeed on Unsplash)
Can Anyone Recycle Aluminum?
Recycling aluminum cans can be done by any individual, as long as they have access to a recycling bin at their home or work location. This is the easiest way to recycle single-use items like aluminum cans because it doesn’t require shipping them somewhere else.
In order for this method to actually “work,” though, individuals must place the metal in the correct type of container that will allow machines to quickly separate it from all other types of materials found in a typical recycling bin. What’s more, people should also make sure not to contaminate recyclable material with food scraps or paper! That could result in contamination downgrading the quality of the recycled materials.
What Happens After Aluminum is Recycled?
Aluminum is a relatively cheap and abundant metal, so it’s no wonder that the primary form of recycling for this material involves converting it back to aluminum. The process starts by collecting discarded products made from aluminum — like drink cans or food containers — then processing them at a recycling center. They then take discarded metal items, clean them with a chemical bath, rinse off any dirty substances like paint or ink, cut up the pieces so they can be melted down and fashioned back into their new shape using hydraulic pressure.
The entire process results in significant energy and natural resources savings because it takes less energy to smelt recycled aluminum than it does for the production from scratch. In addition, recycling aluminum helps reduce water consumption by more than 50% due to efficiency improvements at plants that use recycled material.
So what’s next? The recyclable materials are processed into new products – everything from soda cans or foil-coated chocolate bars!
Recycle Your Aluminum Cans Today
What Can Aluminum Cans be recycled into? As you have read above, there are many different items that recyclable aluminum cans can be made into. There is one thing for sure, though- every single item produced from recycling aluminum saves energy in the manufacturing process. This means fewer emissions are released into the environment, which will help keep our planet green and clean!
