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
Vital statistics
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
packaging stats
Every year, the UK uses:
15 billion FOOD cans
580 million aerosols
Recyclability facts
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
Vital statistics
MATERIAL:
GLASS
Made from:
sand, soda ash AND limestone
Properties:
Hard, brittle, transparent
Used in:
Bottles, jars
TIME TO DECOMPOSE:
NEVER
packaging stats
Every year, the UK uses:
2.4 million tonnes of glass packaging
Recyclability facts
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.