According to the United States – Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), aluminum cans and other packaging are the largest sources of aluminum in municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the US. As mentioned in the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet, 3.89 million tons of aluminum were generated in 2018, out of which 0.67 million tons were recycled. Let us see about Aluminum can recycling prices.
Aluminum recycling is a profitable business because aluminum is 100% recyclable. There is a high demand for this metal in various industries, and it is used in many consumer products. The cost of recycling aluminum can in the US is around $200 per ton of scrap metal. This cost includes the collection of scrap metal, transportation to the recycling facility, sorting the aluminum scraps, and processing it to make them reusable.
Aluminum Can Recycling Prices
Aluminum cans are not recycled separately, but all the metal scraps are first collected by the recycling company and then recycled. Next, the collected metal scraps are transported to the recycling facility, where aluminum scraps are sorted from other metal scraps. After sorting the aluminum scraps, including the cans, several other processes are undertaken to make aluminum reusable. The prices of all of these processes combined is the price of recycling aluminum can which sums up to around $200 per ton.
Aluminum Recycling Process
The steps involved in aluminum recycling are Sorting 🡪 , Shredding 🡪 , Cleaning 🡪 , Melting 🡪 , Removal, by-products 🡪 , and Creation of alloy 🡪 Compounding.
- Sorting – the collected scraps are taken to the recycling facility, and aluminum is then sorted from the lot.
- Shredding – aluminum is cut or broken into small pieces to decrease its volume.
- Cleaning – the pieces are cleaned using a chemical & mechanical process.
- The pieces are then melted at high temperatures in furnaces, and a molten mixture is obtained.
- Removal of by-products – the molten mixture is chemically processed to remove waste products and is further purified.
- Creation of alloy – aluminum alloy is created by adding certain other metals or silicones based on the planned future use of the alloy.
- Compounding – the molten metal is transferred into ingots and further supplied to the aluminum processing or manufacturing plants for making new products.
Why Should Aluminum Be Recycled?
It is the most commonly used metal globally because of its lightweight, flexible, non-magnetic, high thermal conductivity, and corrosion-resistant properties. It is malleable and retains most of these properties even after recycling or reusing, making aluminum a versatile metal. It is safe to assume that recycled aluminum will be used in some or other industries and won’t be wasted.
Value of Recycled Aluminum Cans
Aluminum cans are the most lightweight and sustainable beverage packaging option. The recycled aluminum cans are back on the market in about 60 days. The aluminum scraps are worth more than $1300 per ton in the recycling market and can be recycled multiple times and sold in the form of cans. Aluminum cans contain about 73% recycled content on average.
Bottle Bill – Container Deposit Law
A ‘bottle bill’ or ‘container deposit law’ is the practice adopted by the US of adding a small deposit on the price of a beverage. It’s a legislative bill wherein a refundable deposit is charged on certain beverage bottles & cans to encourage and promote the return of these containers for recycling and reduce littering.
Advantages of Bottle Bill
- Producing high-quality recyclable materials
- Help the environment
- Provide financial incentives for recycling
- Encourage producer and consumer responsibility
- Receive widespread public support
- Create jobs
- Promote Recycling and Reduce waste
Conclusion
Recycling aluminum requires less energy than mining, processing, and manufacturing new products. Also, it releases less amount of greenhouse gages into the atmosphere than freshly produced aluminum. The cost of recycling aluminum cans is around $200 in the US. Still, it can be reduced if the aluminum cans are sorted at the source by the consumers themselves and segregated & transported by them to the recycling facility. Aluminum packaging is one of the most sustainable options, and aluminum recycling is a profitable business.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which states have the bottle bill in the US?
California, Connecticut, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Maine, New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Vermont are the states which have the bottle bill.
- At what temperature is aluminum melted in the recycling process?
Shredded aluminum chips are melted at a very high temperature of 1221° F in furnaces.
- Are there any disadvantages of recycling aluminum?
Continuously recycled aluminum has a lower quality than freshly produced aluminum and hence, can be used in only specific applications. Also, sorting aluminum from scraps is time-consuming and requires money.
- Is aluminum can recycling a profitable business?
Yes. Aluminum recycling is a sustainable process, and the high demand for aluminum makes this business profitable.
