Human beings are stewards of the environment and are responsible for protecting and preserving nature's resources for current and future generations. That said, recycling is crucial and works to improve and protect the environment. It helps reduce the carbon footprint and greenhouse gases, saves energy, and prevents pollution. Other than recycling plastic bags, individuals are looking into aluminum scrap recycling. Why? Because it helps reduce the number of trashed aluminum cans that may cause extensive environmental degradation. Additionally, aluminum recycling helps generate income and jobs, saves resources, time, and money, and promotes society's economic, community, and environmental aspects. Unfortunately, many people do not understand the concept of recycling, including its benefits and their roles in the process. This article addresses common questions regarding aluminum scrap recycling.
How Long Does It Take to Recycle Aluminum?
Generally, aluminum is commonly used in packaging products such as beverages. However, cans and containers contribute to millions of tons of municipal waste annually. Thus, without aluminum scrap recycling, you must understand that aluminum takes more than 500 years to decompose, contributing to extensive ecological deterioration. Fortunately, aluminum is a sustainable material that can be recycled multiple times without losing its strength and material. As such, it takes as little as 60 days for used aluminum containers to be recycled and put back on the market.
How Does Aluminum Recycling Reduce Carbon Footprint?
Primary aluminum production requires a lot of energy; this often increases carbon dioxide emissions. Aluminum scrap recycling provides a sustainable way of meeting manufacturing demand while reducing carbon dioxide emissions. For instance, the scrap may range between aluminum beer cans, containers, foils, or sheets produced over several years. However, when recycling these scrap products, the recycled product is often in its second life, translating to less energy use and minimal carbon footprint compared to primary aluminum production. As such, it is crucial to understand that recycling aluminum scraps can help minimize carbon dioxide emissions and save enough energy to produce other raw materials.
What are Some Concerns about Aluminum Recycling?
Like any manufacturing process, aluminum scrap recycling poses some environmental risks. For example, the process produces carbon dioxide as one of the by-products. However, this is no longer a concern as recycling companies strive to adopt more green processes. For example, recycling companies have adopted capital-intensive technology to improve the process's efficiency, reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Such strategies have been handy in making aluminum scrap recycling more sustainable than producing the metal from its ores.
