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In the 21st century, aluminum is one of the most recycled materials in the world. Since aluminum can be recycled 100% and infinitely without losing any of its original properties, many sectors and industries always seek this amazing element, and it would be safe to say that many societies and countries depend on it. Remember, unlike other metals; aluminum isn't consumed; it's only used. In this article, we will review some interesting facts about aluminum, so you can be more informed about this aspect of scrap metal recycling.
Aluminum is the most common metal found in the Earth's crust. However, quite ironically, scientists discovered it late. It wasn't until the mid-1800s that a Danish physicist named Hans Christian Oersted extracted it. The main reason is that aluminum doesn't occur naturally in metallic form. In nature, it is mostly combined with other elements, and extracting it in its pure form required very complex techniques. Therefore, it was extremely rare and declared a very precious item. Surprisingly, it was even more expensive than gold during the mid-1800s.
Compared to other metals, aluminum takes very little energy to recycle compared to the energy used when making brand-new aluminum from natural resources. Only 5% of the energy required for the new aluminum production is used in the recycling process. Did you know that even by recycling a very small aluminum item, the electricity produced can power a TV for about three hours? So, saving even the tiniest amount of aluminum benefits the environment since virgin material isn't used in the process, and much less energy is spent.
Many people don't know that aluminum takes much longer to decompose in a landfill than other metals. Normally, other metals decompose in about 100 years. However, aluminum stays in landfills for up to 500 years before decomposing. This also gives us a good idea about how dangerous leaving aluminum in improper conditions is for the environment.
One of the greatest things about aluminum is that it can be recycled in only 60 days. This is a very short amount of time and shows how efficient recycling aluminum can be. These 60 days even include the storing and transporting aluminum to the necessary industries. This means that if you take your aluminum-containing items to the scrap yard, they can show up as a different aluminum-containing item on a shelf in just two months.
Scrapping aluminum material is very beneficial for scrap metal collectors since it is one of the most commonly recycled and popular metals. At M&M Recycling, we know that recycling is something that anyone can do, and even the smallest action helps; it is the key to helping our future and protecting our planet. Since aluminum is a metal that can be recycled infinitely without losing any of its original properties, it's crucial to recycle every aluminum-containing item. If you want to bring your metals to a reliable scrap metal company, call us today to learn more about our prices and schedule your appointment.
