The diagram illustrates the systematic recycling process of aluminium cans, encompassing various stages from collection to the final product.
This process is characterized by an efficient flow that incorporates reusing, cleaning, sorting, shredding, heating, and rolling, ultimately yielding recycled aluminium ready for reuse while achieving a notable recycling rate.
The recycling process commences with the collection of used aluminium cans, which constitutes approximately 74% of total cans discarded in the UK. Following collection, the cans undergo a thorough cleaning to remove impurities, enhancing the quality of the recycled material. Subsequently, the cleaned cans are sorted to eliminate non-aluminium components, ensuring that the recycling stream remains pure for the next stages.
Next, the sorted aluminium is subjected to shredding and compressing, transforming the material into smaller, manageable pieces. The resulting fragments are then heated and melted at high temperatures, whereupon they can be reconstituted into molten aluminium. Finally, the molten aluminium is rolled out into sheets, with a thickness ranging between 2.5 mm to 6 mm, signifying the final stage of the recycling process, ready for manufacturing into new products