Aluminum can recycling provides many environmental, economic and community benefits to individuals, communities, organizations, companies and industries.
Environmental Benefits
Recycling aluminum cans saves precious natural resources, energy, time and money – all for a good cause – helping out the earth, as well as the economy and local communities.Aluminum cans are unique in that in 60 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can & back on store shelves. Aluminum is a sustainable metal and can be recycled over and over again. In 2003, 54 billion cans were recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15 million barrels of crude oil – America’s entire gas consumption for one day.
Economic Benefits
The aluminum can is the most valuable container to recycle and is the most recycled consumer product in the U.S. today. Each year, the aluminum industry pays out over $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. Used aluminum beverage cans are the most recycled item in the U.S., but 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. Community Benefits
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. To think, 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. |
1. Cooking oil
Bacon grease or cooking oil can clog up your pipes and ultimately back up sewer systems. Rinsing with hot water as you pour it down the drain won't help. Once that grease cools down, it solidifies and sticks to pipes. Your best bet is to absorb small amounts of grease with shredded paper or kitty litter before throwing in the trash.
Or you can pour oil or bacon grease in a coffee can or other metal container and throw it out once it solidifies. Here are some other suggestions on disposing and recycling.
2. Medications
Don't flush them down the toilet or pour them down the drain because tiny amounts of pharmaceuticals are making their way into our resacas and drainage ditches. Remove all personal info before chucking bottles to avoid identity theft. To make medicines unusable in case they accidentally get into the wrong hands do the following: crush pills and mix with cat litter, coffee grounds, or other unappealing kitchen waste. Add salt, ashes from your fireplace, dirt, charcoal, spices or liquids. Use duct tape on any containers and place in a sealed bag before tossing in the trash so your kids or pets won't get accidentally poisoned. Your best bet is to find a program that will take back unused medications. Ask if your local Walgreen, CVS, Wal-Mart or HEB pharmacy will accept old prescription drugs.
3. CFLs
Fluorescent bulbs contain tiny amounts of mercury that can leach out if broken, so it’s important to properly recycle them. Luckily, these energy-sipping light bulbs are relatively easy to get rid of. Just drop old bulbs off at any Home Depot or Lowes or Ikea for free recycling.
4. Batteries
Recycling rechargeable batteries is fairly easy. It’s a good thing because throwing out lead-acid batteries is illegal in 41 states, according to Trey Granger at Earth911. Home Depot, Staples, Radio Shack, Best Buy, and many other retailers take them back free of charge. 5. Car stuff
Wal-Mart, Autozone, JiffyLube, and others recycle used motor oil. Ask if they'll take your old filters back for recycling too. Return dead car batteries to the store where you are purchasing a new one and ask if they'll recycle it. (If not, check with your local HHW center) |
