The diagram illustrates the process by which used aluminum waste is transformed into new aluminum cans.
Overall, the process consists of eleven stages, beginning with the collection of aluminum waste and ending with the manufacturing of new aluminum cans over a total duration of six weeks. These stages can be broadly grouped into three main phases: collection and sorting, processing, and regeneration.
The process begins when waste made of aluminum is collected by garbage trucks. Following this, the collected cans are deposited at a recycling facility before being transferred to a washing area. Once this step is complete, the items undergo a crushing process to reduce them into small pieces. Next, these crushed fragments are processed through mechanical sorting. During this step, chemicals are added to the mixture to erase and remove ink or labels.
Afterward, the process continues with a high-temperature heating stage in a furnace. The next step involves moulding the molten metal into solid blocks before the products are weighed on a scale. After being rolled into thin sheets, the recycled aluminum is then moved to a manufacturing machine. The sequence concludes when the processed sheets are formed into new cans, marking the end of the process.
