The diagram illustrates the process of recycling aluminum cans. Overall, it is a cyclical process that involves several stages, beginning with the collection of used cans and ending with the reuse of new aluminum products.
First, used aluminum cans are collected from households or recycling bins and transported by truck to a recycling plant. There, they are cleaned, sorted, shredded, and compressed into smaller pieces. These pieces are then heated and melted to form pure aluminum.
Next, the melted aluminum is rolled into thin sheets between 2.5 and 6 millimeters thick. These sheets are then used to manufacture new cans, which can be filled again and returned to the market. In the UK, about 74% of aluminum is recycled in this way, making it one of the most reused materials.
