ALLY MINIUM

  • MATERIAL:
    ALUMINIUM
  • Made from:
    Bauxite
  • Properties:
    Lightweight, durable, malleable, corrosion resistant
  • Used in:
    Food cans, foil, drink cans, aerosols
  • TIME TO DECOMPOSE:
    200 years
    Every year, the UK uses:
  • 15 billion cans
  • 16,000 tonnes of foil containers
  • 425,000 miles of household foil
  • 580 million aerosols
  • Aluminium packaging is 100% recyclable into any type of metal product: from a paper clip to a car engine part, an iron to an aeroplane.
  • 56% of aluminium packaging is recycled in the UK. 76% of aluminium drink cans are recycled.
  • Recycling a tonne of aluminium saves 9 tonnes of CO2 emissions and 4 tonnes of bauxite – the raw material from which aluminium is made.
  • Recycling cans saves up to 95% of the energy it takes to make aluminium from raw materials.
  • Recycling one aluminium can saves enough energy to power your TV for three hours.
  • It takes the same amount of energy to make one new aluminium can as it does to recycle 20.
  • 75% of all the aluminium ever made is still in circulation today.

steely stan

  • MATERIAL:
    STEEL
  • Made from:
    Iron and carbon
  • Properties:
    Strong, durable, malleable, conducts heat
  • Used in:
    Food cans, drink cans, aerosols, pet food tins
  • TIME TO DECOMPOSE:
    50 years
    Every year, the UK uses:
  • 15 billion FOOD cans
  • 580 million aerosols
  • Steel cans are 100% recyclable. They can be made into more steel cans, bicycles, car parts, and other everyday products.
  • 82% of steel packaging is recycled in the UK.
  • Recycling a tonne of steel saves 1.4 tonnes of iron ore and saves 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
  • Recycling steel saves up to 74% of the energy needed to make steel from raw materials.
  • Recycling seven steel cans saves enough energy to power a 60-watt lightbulb for over 24 hours.
  • Steel is the most recycled material on the planet, more than all other materials combined.
  • Almost every new car is made up of around 25% recycled steel.

G -Lass

  • MATERIAL:
    GLASS
  • Made from:
    sand, soda ash AND limestone
  • Properties:
    Hard, brittle, transparent
  • Used in:
    Bottles, jars
  • TIME TO DECOMPOSE:
    NEVER
    Every year, the UK uses:
  • 2.4 million tonnes of glass packaging
  • Glass is 100% recyclable and can be reused over and over again, without losing quality.
  • The UK recycles around 69% of its glass packaging.
  • Every tonne of glass recycled saves 0.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions and saves 1.2 tonnes of raw materials including 1,300 pounds of sand; 410 pounds of soda ash; and 380 pounds of limestone.
  • Glass placed in landfill will never decompose. Archaeologists are still finding glass used during the Roman age.
  • Clear glass bottles contain around 32% recycled glass, whereas green bottles contain as much as 68% recycled glass.
  • Recycling just one glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours.
  • Glass recycling in the UK saves enough energy to launch 10 space missions.

P -Lastic

  • MATERIAL:
    PLASTIC
  • Made from:
    OIL
  • Properties:
    Lightweight, durable, malleable, corrosion resistant
  • Used in:
    PLASTIC CUPS, CUTLERY, BAGS, STRAWS
  • TIME TO DECOMPOSE:
    up to 1000 years
    Every year, the UK uses:
  • 2.5 billion disposable cups
  • 2.1 billion single-use plastic bags
  • 4.7 billion plastic straws
  • 7.7 billion plastic bottles
  • The number of times that plastic can be recycled depends on the type, however plastic is not infinitely recyclable.
  • There are seven types of plastic. Three of these are not recyclable and some may be recycled depending where you live.
  • The UK recycles around 43% of plastic packaging.
  • Recycling 1 tonne of plastic bottles saves almost 2 tonnes of carbon.
  • It takes 66% less energy to make a plastic bottle from recycled plastic compared with using ‘raw’ materials.
  • 1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for up to 3 hours.
  • A pair of jeans includes an average of 8 recycled plastic bottles.