4 ms·
Aluminum isn't ferromagnetic so magnets don't work with it and stripping the graphics off a soda can alone requires just as much energy and nasty chemicals as o
by akiselev 8y ago
Aluminum isn't ferromagnetic so magnets don't work with it and stripping the graphics off a soda can alone requires just as much energy and nasty chemicals as other recycled materials. That's before you even smelt anything, which usually requires a forge that spends insane amounts of energy just to keep it from shutting down and needing an even more expensive cold start.
It's not that recycling aluminum is easier than other materials, it's that making aluminum from raw bauxite is like the above process times ten. The chemicals are even more dangerous, the process management (environmental protection, regulatory compliance, etc) more expensive, and it requires even more energy. As a result, between 1/3 to 2/3 of all aluminum sold in the US comes from recycled materials because of economic reasons.
- munk-a 8y agoYour mention of advertising... I'd be really happy if we could start cutting down the insane effort we're putting into dyeing things and just relegate flashy marketing to the waste bin of history. The same with form advertising (clam shells and the like) where additional material is added just to make a product look more attractive.
- lozenge 8y agoThe clam shells make shoplifting difficult, and you need to get the barcode onto the can at a minimum, at which point what difference does the rest of the label make?
- kretor 8y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_separator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_current_separator
- michelledepeil 8y agoI was likely wrong wrt my argumentation. However, Eddy currents (TIL) make seperation _fairly_ easy if you have the right equipment, and comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18702317 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18702317 seems to think "cleaning" and smelting are easier than in the plastic bottle case.