How Aluminium Cans are Recycled – From Recycling Bin to Reuse

How aluminium cans are recycled is a wonder of the recycling world. Their journey from being an empty vessel, tossed away after quenching your thirst, to a reincarnated product epitomises the sophistication and success of the recycling industry. With a combination of ingenuity, technology, and commitment to sustainability, recycling aluminium cans is a shining example of an efficient process that benefits both the environment and the economy.

Let’s pop open the lid on the lifecycle of a recycled aluminium can, and take a closer look at how this simple yet extraordinary process helps to conserve precious resources and energy.

The Infinite Life of Aluminium

What’s truly delightful about aluminium is its ability to be recycled over and over without losing quality. Unlike other materials which degrade with each recycling loop, aluminium emerges from each cycle as strong and flexible as ever. At Greyhound Recycling, we take immense pride in ensuring that every can’s potential is fully realised through our state-of-the-art recycling processes.

The Recycling Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Collection and Transportation

The journey begins in your home or office recycling bin. Once you’ve finished with your can, it’s collected along with countless others and transported to a recycling facility. Your small action joins a much bigger movement towards sustainability, supported by our extensive network of recycling partnerships.

Step 2: Sorting and Cleaning

Upon arrival at the recycling centre, cans are separated from other materials. Magnets remove any rogue steel cans, while an eddy current separator – a remarkable piece of technology – ejects aluminium cans from the mix. They’re then cleaned to remove any residual liquid or label materials, preparing them for the next stage.

Step 3: Shredding and De-coating

The clean cans are then shredded into small pieces, which makes the melting process more efficient. At this point, paint and other coatings are removed through a de-coating process. This step is crucial to ensure the purity and quality of the final recycled aluminium.

Step 4: Melting and Casting

Shredded aluminium scraps are placed into a large furnace and heated to around 660 degrees Celsius. Once melted, the aluminium is poured into moulds, creating large ingots. These ingots, which can each contain the metal from over 1 million cans, are ready to be processed into new aluminium products.

Step 5: Rolling

The ingots are sent to mills where they’re rolled out into thin sheets. This material will go on to form new products, often finding its way back into the production of new cans, embodying true recyclability.

Step 6: Manufacturing New Products

Finally, these sheets are fabricated into new aluminium cans or other products, ready to be filled, sold, and eventually recycled again, continuing the endless cycle of reuse.

At Greyhound Recycling, we’re dedicated to making recycling as convenient and customer-focused as possible. Our numerous awards and testimonials reflect our commitment to providing an exceptional service that places customer satisfaction at the heart of what we do.

The Benefits of Recycling Aluminium Cans

Environmental Perks

Recycling aluminium conserves up to 95% of the energy required to create the same amount of the metal from raw materials. That means drastic reductions in carbon emissions, saving enough energy to power millions of homes for a year.

Moreover, it protects natural habitats from being disrupted by mining bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminium. Thanks to recycling efforts, we’ve seen a notable decrease in air and water pollution, contributing to a healthier planet for all species.

Economic Advantages

Recycling isn’t just good for the Earth; it’s great for the economy too. It supports thousands of jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries, providing a boost to the economy while also encouraging innovation and efficiency.

Closing Thoughts

As part of our mission to foster a healthier planet,  Greyhound Recycling invites you to join us in our recycling endeavours. Together, we can make a difference, one can at a time.

If you’d like to know more about our process or how you can get involved, please visit our website, or contact our friendly customer service team. Remember, when you recycle your aluminium cans, you’re not just throwing away rubbish; you’re contributing to the creation of something new and valuable.

Let’s partner for sustainability and celebrate the bright future we’re crafting with every recycled can.