Aluminum
What can be recycled?
Beverage cans, pet food cans, aerosol cans, aluminum foil, and cookware
Why it wants to be recycled
Aluminum is infinitely recyclable. Recycling a can takes just 5% of the energy and emits a mere 5% of the greenhouse gases that making one from scratch does.
How to recycle it
Look for curbside, school, work, or public space recycling bins, or bring aluminum to local recycling drop-off or buy-back centers. In some states, beverage cans have a deposit refund and can be returned to the store where they were purchased.
What does recycled aluminum become?
Aluminum’s recycling journey begins when it is collected, crushed, and cut into chips that are fed into a furnace to remove paint and coatings. The chips are then melted and formed into the blocks called ingots. The aluminum blocks are rolled into sheets which are sent to manufacturers to make new cans. One of these blocks contains enough aluminum to make 1.3 million new cans (which have an average of 68% recycled content). A can’s journey from the recycling bin back to store shelves takes less than 60 days.
Did you know?
About 1 billion pounds of aluminum, or 32 billion cans, end up in landfills every year. That wasted energy could power 1.5 million homes for a year.
Mythbuster
MYTH: The tab is the only part of the can that can be recycled.
FACT: The entire can is recyclable! In fact, it’s better to keep the tabs on the can to ensure they make it through the recycling process.
Super Sorter
Recycle different kinds of materials. Sort fast and give trash a new life!
Recycling Journey
See how recycled materials can be transformed into new, exciting and useful things.