Directory Image
This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

How to recycle aluminum

Author: Christian Alcantara
by Christian Alcantara
Posted: Dec 21, 2019
When it comes to versatile types of metal, aluminum is a material used to create a wide range of products, items, tools, and machinery. Being light, strong, and resistant to many forms of wear and tear, aluminum provides many positive qualities that allow it to be very useful in a multitude of applications.

Aluminum is known for being a very recyclable type of metal, which is why it is widely used by many product manufacturers worldwide. The process of recycling aluminum is one of the most efficient metal recycling methods.

The first step in recycling aluminum is sorting. Each aluminum product and item would be sorted in bins and containers accordingly to be collected for the recycling process. Sorting begins in waste disposal, where people would drop their aluminum products in the designated disposal bins, which would then be distributed in a recycling facility.

After the aluminum products are properly sorted, the next step is to take them to recycle facilities and begin the process of shredding the aluminum. This helps make the aluminum easier to melt, lessens the weight and volume, and removes all other small materials present.

To make sure the shredded aluminum does not contain other types of metals, it would be passed through a powerful magnet that would remove all traces of other metals present.

After the aluminum has been shredded and sorted out, the next step is to clean the material. Cleaning is done through the use of strong cleaning solutions that would remove any dirt, paint, or decoration present on the aluminum surface. The aluminum would be scrubbed clean, and then would go through the process of de-coating.

De-coating puts the aluminum through a conveyor system to remove all other traces of color and decoration on the surface. This is done by blowing hot air on the aluminum, which would then be removed and cleaned further. Once the cleaning process has been accomplished, the aluminum is not ready for re-melting.

The crucial process that would make recycled aluminum usable for manufacturing products is re-melting. The scrap aluminum would be put inside a high-temperature furnace, which burns for around 7000 degrees celsius. During the melting process, other types of chemicals would be added to create the proper composition of aluminum.

Once the aluminum has been melted to create ingots, these ingots would go through a process called rolling. Rolling would help turn the aluminum into thin sheets, which would then be used to create new products.Rolling helps strengthen the aluminum and make it more flexible. Once the aluminum has been rolled out, it would be distributed to manufacturing companies to be used to create products.

Finally

After being rolled, the recycled aluminum would once again go through another production process to create new products that would be distributed to retailers. These products can include aluminum cans, kitchen tools and items, packaging, and even casing for devices. Overall, the recycling process can take a number of weeks to accomplish and is able to recycle a good percentage of aluminum to be reused.

About the Author

A digital marketing specialist who also likes to share stuff online to enrich other people.

Rate this Article
Leave a Comment
Author Thumbnail
I Agree:
Comment 
Pictures
Author: Christian Alcantara

Christian Alcantara

Member since: Dec 18, 2019
Published articles: 1

Related Articles