The majority of all of the aluminum which has ever been produced is still in use today because aluminum can be recycled over and over again with no loss to its original quality. Aluminum is one of the most valuable scrap metals to recycle. Not only can you easily find ample supplies of it, but you can fetch great scrap metal prices in Calgary for it as well. Let’s take a look at what happens to scrap aluminum after it’s dropped off at a Calgary scrap metal recycling facility such as Federal Metals Inc.
How Aluminum is Recycled
When scrap aluminum reaches a recycling facility, it may first be segregated into different categories, such as unalloyed aluminum (aluminum which is not mixed with any other metal), alloyed aluminum, and aluminum mixed with other materials. The aluminum scrap is then placed into a large furnace which heats it to a liquid state. Advanced tools and techniques are employed to ensure that any potential contaminants which could compromise the quality and value of the aluminum are removed. At this stage, alloying elements can be added if desired.
While it does require some energy to recycle aluminum, the aluminum recycling process is 95% more efficient than the process of mining and smelting aluminum from an ore. This means that recycled aluminum essentially pays for its own recycling, as it is more affordable to recycle aluminum than to mine for it. It also means that recycling aluminum helps to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere.
What New Products Are Made from Recycled Aluminum?
After scrap aluminum has been processed by Calgary metal recyclers, it can be used to fabricate any type of new aluminum product. Perhaps the most common recycled aluminum product that you see on a daily basis is an aluminum can. It can take as little as two months for an aluminum can to be sent to a recycling facility, melted down, turned into a new can, and find its way back to a store shelf.
Recycled aluminum can also be found in cars, bicycles, airplanes, building facades, door and window fittings, and baseball bats. Any product that can be fabricated from brand new aluminum can also be fabricated from recycled aluminum from Calgary metal suppliers. Recycled aluminum is an economical option for business and industry. Because it costs less to produce, it is typically more affordable than aluminum smelted from bauxite ore.
Recycle Your Aluminum with Calgary’s Metal Recyclers and Suppliers
Federal Metals Inc. can take all kinds of non-ferrous scrap metal off your hands at our Calgary scrap metal recycling facility, including aluminum. We accept aluminum extrusions, sheet and bar aluminum, aluminum casings, signs, aluminum siding, and more. The aluminum is then processed and prepared for use in brand new products. At Federal Metals Inc., we are proud to do our part to lower the demand for environmentally destructive mining operations.
If you have any more questions about recycling scrap metal in Calgary, just get in touch with Federal Metals Inc. today.
