Aluminum recycling tips? How Failing to Recycle Aluminum Harms the Environment: Globally, the aluminum industry annually emits millions of tons of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. Although aluminum cans represent only 1.4% of a ton of garbage by weight, according to the Container Recycling Institute, they account for 14.1% of the greenhouse gas impacts associated with replacing an average ton of garbage with new products made from virgin materials.
How to recycle aluminum foil? Your first step is to make sure your aluminum foil is devoid of food waste. You can rinse off small bits of food, like cookie crumbs and fruit or vegetable juice. The foil may discolor if you use hot water, but that is totally normal. If the foil is very heavily soiled with oily or greasy foods like meat, frosting, gravy or butter, it will need to go in the trash. Your second step is to determine if your curbside recycling program accepts aluminum foil. If you live in Austin, Raleigh or Washington, D.C., you can place clean aluminum foil in your recycling bin.
Can I recycle aluminum foil in my curbside recycling program? While most cities will accept aluminum cans at the curb, you’ll want to verify acceptance of aluminum foil. The risks of contamination will often make it undesirable for local recyclers. What is the difference between aluminum foil and tin foil? There is none. All foil has been made of aluminum since World War II, and the name “tin foil” is still mistakenly used to describe aluminum foil. See extra information on is tin foil recyclable.
Before you put your foil in the recycling bin, make sure your local recycling program accepts it; not all of them do. Incidentally, usually if foil is accepted, disposable aluminum baking pans also will be. Just be sure to only recycle aluminum foil that is clean, even if it means rinsing it off first. (And as long as you’re cleaning it, you might as well reuse it a couple of times first!)
Putting lightweight, recycled aluminum into cars makes them lighter and more efficient, as well. In 2002 the average car contained 220 to 265 lbs. of aluminum. As of 2011, cars contain an average of 265 to 330 lbs. of aluminum. (see References 4). Lighter, more efficient cars save fossil fuels. Recycling Aluminum Helps Satisfy an Increasing Demand! Manufacturers are also becoming more efficient in their use of aluminum. Today’s aluminum can weighs .0466 oz., which is more than 15 percent lighter than a can made in 1993. See more info on https://www.ablison.com/how-to-recycle-aluminum-foil-and-is-it-biodegradable/.