the aluminium can recycling loop
The Loop
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Stage 1: Collection
Every year around 5 billion aluminium drink cans are sold in the UK. Each one can be recycled back into new drink cans over and over again. This is called 'closed loop ' recycling.
If all of these cans were recycled there would be 14 million fewer dustbins emptied into the country 's landfill sites. Using your local council 's recycling facilities will stop these cans from being wasted, and at the same time save energy and natural resources, reduce litter on the streets and the pressure on local landfill sites. It 's up to us to keep the aluminium can recycling loop going! Here 's how it works:
When you choose to recycle your empty aluminium drink can you are in the first stage of the can recycling loop. Aluminium cans are collected for recycling in a number of different ways:
Can banks located at supermarkets and council recycling sites. These are emptied by waste management companies or your local council.
Kerbside recycling schemes operated by your local council to make recycling at home as convenient as possible
Cash for cans centres where you can exchange empty aluminium cans for cash.
The cans are sorted and baled and then transported to the Used Beverage Can Recycling Plant at Warrington in Cheshire. This plant could recycle every single aluminium can sold every year for the forseeable future.
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Stage 2. The recycling process has 4 stages
Shredding Mechanical hammers shred the flattened cans into small pieces, about the size of a 50p.
Decoating Decoration is removed by blowing hot air (500°C) through the shreds.
Melting The shreds are melted in a furnace heated to 750°C.
Casting The molten metal flows into mould and is cooled by jets of water. As it cools it hardens and an ingot is formed.
Each ingot weighs 27 tonnes, is 15 metres long and contains enough metal to make 1.5 million drink cans
The ingot is now transported from Warrington to the rolling mill.
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Stage 3: Rolling
The ingots are pre-heated to 600°C and undergo their first rolling. They are then 'cold rolled' to the exact specification and thickness required by the customer — the can maker.
Amazing fact: The ingots made at the Warrington recycling plant are rolled so thin it measures 26km long!
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Stage4: Can Making
The aluminium sheet arrives at the plant as a coil. It is lubricated and fed through a cupping press. This cuts, or blanks, thousands of shallow cups. The sides of these cups are raised to form the can shape by being rammed through a series of rings.
The inside and outside of the can is treated with a lacquer. This forms the base coat for the external decoration and prevents the contents reacting with the metal inside.
After the decoration has been applied, the cans are dried in an oven and then passed through a neck/flanger to prepare them to take the can end.
There are six aluminium can making plants in the UK. Why not find out more about the can making process?
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Stage 5: Filling
Cans are cleaned using high pressure air and water. Then the air is extracted and at the same time the can is filled with carbon dioxide gas (CO2). The liquid contents are then added and the can ends are attached and mechanically sealed.
Around 2000 cans are filled by this process every minute.
The cans are then packed ready for despatch to the distributor or retailer.
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Stage 6: Selling
The final stage of the loop is when the cans are delivered to the retailer, ready for you to buy - again!
This could be your local supermarket, corner shop or a vending machine in your office or leisure centre.
So now you know what makes the loop go round — you do! Make sure you play your part and recycle your aluminium drink cans!
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useful links
- recycling at home
- recycling at work
- recycling at school
- recycling for charity
- recycling supplies
interactive tour
teachers resources
