Recycling aluminum cans can save energy
Publicado em 6 de May de 2020
Do you know that Brazil is the biggest aluminum recycler since 2001? In 2016, the country was responsible for recycling 97.7% of the aluminum cans produced, which is equivalent to approximately 280 thousand tons of aluminum that were reused.
It can be said that the high recycling rate placed the country ahead of countries like Japan and the United States, which recycled 76% and 64% of the aluminum cans produced in their territories in the same year.
In the following year, 2017, Brazil continued to recycle the aluminum cans and with that practically all the cans that were placed on the consumer market returned to the production cycle. Therefore, out of a total of 303.9 thousand tons of cans sold, 295.8 thousand tons were recycled, which is equivalent to 97.3% of recycled items.
The benefits of cans recycling
One of the biggest benefits of cans recycling is the saving of electric energy. The production of aluminum from recycling consumes only 5% of the energy that would be needed to produce the metal from the extraction of bauxite. Considering that, it can be said that the country has saved the equivalent to 1% of the total electricity generated throughout the year – about 4,500 GWh – or 5% of Itaipu’s annual generation. Therefore, the amount of energy saved would be enough to attend the annual residential demand in the state of Goiás (Brazil). Besides that, it is equivalent to the average annual residential consumption of 7 million Brazilians, distributed in 2.4 million households.
Bauxite mining is the main raw material for aluminum and, when it is summed to the refining process to create a product, demands high electricity costs. The recycling of the same material, on the other hand, consumes only 5% of that amount of energy to produce new products. Thus, recycling cans ensures energy savings of 3,780 GWh / year. Aluminum production is known for its high energy consumption and, because of that, companies invest in recycling. For each kilo of recycled aluminum, the extraction of five kilos of bauxite is avoided.
An aluminum cube weighs 40 billion grams, which is equivalent to 350,000 megawatts / hour. If we transfer this knowledge to our daily lives, we will notice that a can of soda has a little less than 20 grams of aluminum or half a billionth of the energy of the cube, which is equivalent to 175 watts / hour. It seems little, doesn’t it? However, the power of an empty can would be enough to keep 17 6 watt bulbs alight for 2 hours. Thus, it can be said that the recycling of aluminum cans is extremely relevant, not only because it reduces energy consumption, but also because it reduces the amount of bauxite extracted, which reduces the amount of caustic sludge produced due to the extraction of the ore. In addition, there is also a decrease in the production of polluting gases such as sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide.
SOURCES:
ABRALATAS. Reciclagem: economia equivale a um ano de energia para 7 milhões de brasileiros. Disponível em: http://www.abralatas.org.br/reciclagem-economia-equivale-a-um-ano-de-energia-para-7-milhoes-de-brasileiros/
RECICLA SAMPA. Reciclagem de latas: entenda sua importância e saiba como fazer. Disponível: https://www.reciclasampa.com.br/artigo/reciclagem-de-latas:-entenda-sua-importancia-e-saiba-como-fazer
TERRA. Reciclagem de latinhas garante economia de energia. Disponível: https://www.terra.com.br/economia/reciclagem-de-latinhas-garante-economia-de-energia,d4586923c8f2d310VgnCLD200000bbcceb0aRCRD.html