April 16, 2014 – 6 Days until Earth Day…
It only takes about 6 weeks total to manufacture, fill, sell, recycle, and then remanufacture an aluminum beverage can
- Aluminum beverage cans are 100 percent recyclable, over and over again, forever
- Every minute, an average of 113,204 aluminum cans are recycled
- Aluminum is a durable and sustainable metal: Two-thirds of aluminum ever produced is still in use today
- Making new aluminum cans from used cans takes 95 percent less energy than using virgin materials
- 20 recycled cans can be made with the energy needed to produce one can using virgin ore
- Aluminum takes 200-500 years to fully degrade in a landfill
- If you laid all the aluminum cans recycled in 2010 end to end, they could circle the earth 169 times
- The aluminum Americans throw away each year is enough to provide the auto industry with all the raw material it needs to build a year’s worth of new cars
Create a Recycling Bin for your Home
- Place your recycling bin next to your trash can and make sure that your whole family knows what can and cannot go in it.
- Recycling bins are usually picked up on your regularly scheduled trash day.
- Many recycling plants will actually pay for aluminum products that you bring to their on-site facility or to one of their recycling machines that may be located throughout your community.
- In the United States, more than $800,000,000 is paid for aluminum cans brought to recycling plants each year.
- Last year, approximately 36 billion aluminum cans were landfilled. The cans that were thrown away had anestimated scrap value of more than $600 million.
- Run an internet search to find your local recycling center.
- Although not required, you can speed your time through the deposit center by organizing your containers by brand.
Give your Aluminum Cans to Charities
- Many charities, school classes, and scouting programs pay for projects and services with money earned by recycling items like aluminum.
- All you have to do is bring a bag of your recyclables–including your aluminum cans–to the organization’s drop off point.
- To find any organizations that might be running a recycling donation program in your area, check out your community boards, contact local schools, or run an online search.
- Habitat for Humanity, which is located in many different regions, often runs a Cans for Habitat program that will happily accept any recyclable donations.
Start a Recycling Program at Work
- Employees average two and a half canned drinks each day.
- Ask your boss to invest in some recycling cans that can be placed next to the trash cans in the office.
- Send out an email or hang up a flyer next to the recycling bin informing the other employees about what can and cannot go into the recycling bin.
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