TABLE OF CONTENTS Aluminum is widely used in a variety of consumer goods including containers and packaging, not only because it is one of the most abundantly occurring metals but also because of its special properties which include lightness and resistance to corrosion under most environmental conditions. It is easily fabricated into a great variety of complex shapes. The unique properties of aluminum has led to its use in transportation and construction industries, electrical parts, machinery and equipment.
The primary motivation for recycling aluminum is environmental concern. Total annual consumption of aluminum now exceeds 25 million tons (Gesing et al., 2000). The supply comes from 20 million tons from primary metal reduction and 3 5 million tons from scrap. The pool of aluminum products in use by consumers is growing at a rate of ~20 million tons annually. All this metal will need recycling and will supply the scrap market. Without recycling millions of aluminum cans and packaging items thrown out every day will be a serious source of pollution.
The primary industry recycles predominantly municipal waste (containers and packaging) and industrial scrap (sheet, film and siding), which typically contain magnesium. The primary industry uses this scrap aluminum to supplement the production of aluminum from bauxite. Used beverage containers are a major secondary source os aluminum. The aluminum beverage can is one of the modern success stories in metals recycling, and the industry has developed the dedicated smelter, which handles nothing but this feedstock.
The second source is...
