Benefits of Aluminum Can Recycling

Written by Earth911 . Jun 29, 2012

Aluminum cans are endlessly recyclable and provide benefits beyond reuse. Here are just a few ways your recycled cans are valuable.

This story is from our partner Earth911 and was originally published there.

Aluminum can recycling is beneficial for individuals, communities, organizations, companies and industries.

Environmental Benefits

Recycling aluminum cans saves precious natural resources, energy, time and money.
Aluminum cans are unique: Within 60 days, a can is recycled, turned into a new can and back on store shelves.
Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again.
In 2007, 54 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil – America’s entire gas consumption for one day.

The aluminum can is the most valuable container to recycle and highest consumer recycling rate in the U.S.
Each year, the aluminum industry pays out more than $800 million dollars for empty aluminum cans — that’s a lot of money that can go to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the Boy or Girl Scouts of America or even a local school. Money earned from recycling cans helps people help themselves and their communities. Recycling helps build new homes, pays for a group trip, supports a project or buys a lunch!
Today it is cheaper, faster and more energy-efficient to recycle aluminum than ever before. The aluminum can is 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled indefinitely. The can remains the most recyclable of all materials.
Other types of aluminum, such as siding, gutters, car components, storm window frames and lawn furniture can also be recycled.
Aluminum has a high market value and continues to provide an economic incentive to recycle. When aluminum cans are recycled curbside, they help pay for community services.

Aluminum can recycling enables charitable organizations and groups to earn funds to further local projects. The money earned enhances programs, communities and improves the quality of people’s lives. From a local can drive to raise money for school improvements, to a Boy or Girl Scout troop “Cans Into Cash” competition to pay for camp, recycling is used all over the country to help others.
A perfect example of this is the Cans for Habitat program. Through a national partnership between the Aluminum Association and Habitat for Humanity International, aluminum cans are recycled via a network of drop-off locations to raise money for Habitat for Humanity to build decent, affordable housing with low-income families. Just by recycling a can once destined for the landfill, you are keeping our local environment clean, providing a needed resource for the aluminum recycling process, and most importantly, helping provide local housing to those in need. It’s a win-win for the individual, community, business, industry and the environment.