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Metal

 

MetalsSteel – steel has been used as a form of packaging since 1810 when Napoleon requested that someone invent a suitable form of packaging for preserving food for the French Army. As a result of this request Nicholas SteelAppert invented the steel can, still used today at a rate of 13 billion per year in the UK alone. We often refer to steel cans as "tins" because they have a thin layer of tin to protect the surface.

Each of us will use about 240 steel cans per year of which all can be recycled and if we all recycled our cans we would avoid landfilling 400,000 tonnes of valuable resources each year. Recycling also avoids the need to use raw materials such as iron ore, and saves energy.

AluminiumAluminium – the production of aluminium requires the mining of bauxite, the environmental damage caused by the production of aluminium is in both the huge amount of energy used and the scaring caused to the landscape from the mining of the bauxite. Four tonnes of bauxite are needed to produce one tonne of aluminium, recycling 1kg of aluminium saves 8kg of bauxite and as Aluminium can be recycled indefinitely, as no damage to its structure is caused during the process, it makes sense to recycle!

If all aluminium cans were recycled in the UK there would be 12 million fewer full dustbins every year!

How can you tell the difference between steel and aluminium cans?

Aluminium cans are easy to recognise because they are:

  • Not magnetic.
  • They have a very shiny silver base
  • They are very light in weight
  • They do not go rusty   

Steel cans are:

  • Magnetic
  • Have a dull base   

You can use the Councils recycling facilities External Link to recycle your cans but for information about other ways to recycle, including exchanging cans for cash, you can contact ALUPRO on freephone on 0824 722 7722 or at www.alupro.org.uk External Link