Aluminum Cans

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Aluminum Cans

• The Developmental History and Recycling of
  aluminum cans.

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Introduction Aluminum was first used in cans in
the year 1965. producers found that aluminum was
a better material to use then tin was. the first
soda can was introduced in the year 1965.
Aluminum is the most widely recycled material in
all of America, and is over a billion dollar
business. The "Ban the Can" campaign of 1960,
brought up enough reasons to have cans taken out
of the waste system.. Aluminum is one of the most
popular and most eco-friendly items in the united
states today. 
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Development
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• The gold Rush of 1849 created a need for a way to
  transport food on far travels without it
  spoiling. Originally they used tin cans, but were
  hard to produce and required a lot of skill and
  muscle. Tin was also heavy and rusted if it
  became wet.

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The First Soda Can
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• The manufacturing companies turned to aluminum
  and in 1965 the first aluminum soda can was
  introduced. They enhanced the stores display
  because they had a 360-degree printable surface
  that could be used for advertising. It supported
  carbonation pressure, and was moldable. It was
  also light weight and resisted corrosion and had
  an easy open end which was first a pull tab
  that came off when you pulled it, and later
  became the stay on tab.

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Recycling
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• Aluminum is one of the most valued materials to
  recycle because it can be recycled into new cans
  any amount of times. Unlike glass and paper that
  can only be reused so many times, aluminum can be
  used over and over to make more aluminum cans.
  There is the same amount of aluminum on the
  planet today that there was fifty years
  ago.(http//earth911.org/blog/2008/06/09/program-
  profile-cans-for-habitat/)

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Recycling continued

• The process to recycle an aluminum can takes
  sixty ( 60) days. the first step is to mine the
  bauxite and ship it to the plant to separate the
  aluminum from it. It is then made into aluminum
  sheets and sent off to the can making plants to
  be turned into an aluminum can. then it is
  shipped and filled ( in this case with soda) and
  is then sent out to the distributor who in turn
  sells it.
• if the buyer of the can recycles it, this same
  process ( minus the mining part) will take place
  again in as little as sixty days.

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"Ban the Can"

• In the early 1960's activists took a stand
  against garbage. They wanted all cans out of the
  waste stream and not going to landfills. can
  companies started offering money in exchange for
  consumers empty used cans. Aluminum has become
  one of the most valuable recyclable materials
  used today, and is a multibillion dollar
  business.

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Benefits of Recycling Cans
There are many benefits in recycling aluminum
cans. By recycling them we save from having to
use new materials to make a new one, and save the
natural resources. Can manufacturers also
reimburse consumers around 800 million a year
for empty cans. In 2003, 54 billion cans were
recycled, saving the energy equivalent of 15
million barrels of crude oilAmericas entire gas
consumption for one day. (http//earth911.org/rec
ycling/aluminum-can-recycling/benefits-of-aluminum
-can-recycling/)
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Community help

• Habitat for Humanity helps to build houses for
  people in need by getting donated aluminum cans
  and recycling them for money, and using the money
  to build homes. Other organizations like Boys and
  Girls Club also get help from recycling cans.

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Conclusion

• Recycling has been a part of society for many
  generations, but aluminum can recycling is by far
  the most recycled item today. No matter who had
  the first soda can ( RC and Shasta both seem to
  think it was them) It is versatile because it can
  be used indefinitely. It only takes a short
  amount of time to recycle the can making it an
  even more desirable recyclable. Cans bring money
  back into the community by offering to buy the
  empty cans back, and habitat for humanity is even
  using the cans to get money to build houses.
  105,784 cans are recycled every minute nationwide
  says cancentral.com, which is an awful lot of
  Waste that is not going into our landfills.

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Works Cited

• Reichman , Anne. "Program Profile Cans for
  Habitat." Earth 911. 09 June 2008. 21 Jun 2008
  lthttp//earth911.org/blog/category/recycling/alumi
  num-can-recycling/gt.  
•  "Recycling Fun Facts." Can Manufacturers
  Institute. 2006. 18 Jun 2008 lthttp//www.cancentra
  l.com/funFacts.cfmgt.
• "The History of Can Making." Can Central. 2006.
  17 Jun 2008 lthttp//www.cancentral.com/canc/nontex
  t/history.htmgt.