The aluminium cans recycling system is demonstrated in the diagram. Overall, the recycling process consists of six stages. The main steps include collecting used cans, sorting them, and making new ones. In the UK, about 74% of aluminium is recycled.
Firstly, a large amount of trash should be collected and sorted. This step cannot be ignored because it is impossible to reach high quality without it. By cleaning, shredding, and compressing the cans, the metal is prepared for the next part. This makes the cans easier to handle.
Secondly, the metal goes to the heating and melting stage. The aluminium is put into a special machine with fire to turn it into liquid. After that, there is a rolling stage. In this step, the melted metal is flattened into thin sheets.
Finally, these sheets are used to make new cans. These cans are then sent back to shops where people buy and drink from them again. This is called reusing. Once the can is empty, the whole cycle starts again from the beginning.