Video: Can I Recycle That? Aluminum

 

Is aluminum recyclable? Yes! Watch this video and learn how to recycle aluminum cans.

 

Can I Recycle That? How to Recycle Aluminum

 

Aluminum cans can be recycled. But do you know the best way to do it? Here’s how.

 

Make sure cans are really empty: bottom’s up or dump it out. This keeps things clean, safe, and running smoothly during the recycling process. That process starts in a surprising way for aluminum, because it can’t be picked up by a magnet.

 

Instead, sorting facilities get creative and use something called an “eddy current” that makes aluminum fly right off the conveyor belt. After the flight sorts them out, aluminum cans get smooshed into giant cubes called bales. These bales are melted down into ingots and formed into more cans and other cool things.

 

Remember, make sure your empties are truly empty so they can be reborn as something new!

 

More Recycling Resources

 

Once you’ve watched the video, check out these fun activities and lessons.

 

What is the Life Cycle of an Aluminum Can?

Find out more about aluminum can recycling. Watch a video, then print and hang a cool infographic in your classroom.

 

Lesson Plan: Fundamentals of Waste

Help high school students understand why waste management is a critical issue for a sustainable future. This lesson takes about an hour to complete.

 

Lesson Plan: Something From Nothing & the 3 Rs

This one is for the younger crowd. They’ll learn a new and exciting way to limit the amount of waste they produce by reusing it for something completely different!

 

Free Digital Slideshow: The Ins and Outs of Recycling

Getting ready to talk to your students about recycling? Need to lead a meeting about bringing recycling to your school? You’ll love this free recycling slideshow! It’s available in PowerPoint or Prezi.

 

Lesson Plan: The Life Cycle of Recycling

Have you ever considered what happens to an aluminum can after you drop it into the recycling bin? In this science and language arts lesson, students explore the life cycle of recycling.