Primary aluminum is made by mining bauxite ore and then transporting it to a refinery.  At the refinery bauxite is crushed, digested, and heated to a high temperature in order to liquify it.  Then a very strong electric current run through it in order to separate oxygen and other elements from the aluminum.   This reduction process requires a tremendous amount of electrical energy. The heating and strong electric current cause the molten aluminum to sink to the bottom of the smelting container.  The process of converting bauxite to aluminum uses considerable energy and produces greenhouse gas emissions. 

Recycling aluminum eliminates waste. Recycling saves energy, conserves natural resources, reduces use of landfills.

Any aluminum item can be recycled repeatedly.  Commonly recycled aluminum products include cans, garden furniture, aluminum foil, aluminum plates and pie molds, aluminum foil, window frames, and automotive components.

Aluminum to be recycled is taken to regional scrap processing companies.  The aluminum items are then compressed into 30-pound briquettes or 1,200-pound bales.  The compressed aluminum is then shipped to aluminum companies to be melted.

The aluminum company shreds and crushes the aluminum.  Then the aluminum is stripped of inside and outside decorations in a burning process.  Pieces of  the aluminum are loaded into melting furnaces.  The recycled metal is then blended with some virgin aluminum.

The resulting molten aluminum is poured into 25-foot long ingots.  These aluminum ingots weigh more than 30,000 pounds.  Ingots are then fed into powerful rollers that reduce the thickness of the metal from more than 20 inches to a sheet that is about 10/1,000 of an inch thick.

The aluminum sheets are then coiled for shipment to aluminum product makers.

Aluminum beverage cans can be completely recycled in as little as 60 days.

Recycling aluminum is good news for the environment and good for the economy.