Aluminium is one of the greenest materials in the world because of its abundance and recyclability. The latter is crucial. In the majority of cases, you can recycle it to create new products. This includes foil. It is a really interesting process, involving several specific stages. Let’s have a closer look at it here so you can see how it works. Then, if you want to use sustainable foils that are completely recyclable, you can order from us.
Cleaning
The first major stage in the aluminium recycling process is to clean the waste products. This is vital because it gets rid of any contaminants, especially things like food residue, ink, and adhesive. Removing them means there are fewer impurities, increasing the quality of the new products. Plus, it prevents them from damaging equipment in later stages.
Sorting
After cleaning, it is time to sort the materials. This splits the waste up into similar streams. For example, it could be keeping kitchen foil and flexible packaging separate. There are some really impressive sorting methods, including eddy current separation, manual separation, and using robotics.
Shredding
When you have aluminium ready to recycle, you typically need to shred it. Mechanical shredders cut it up into smaller pieces so the next stage is easier.
Melting
Once you have a batch of shredded aluminium foil, it is time to melt it. The important thing here is to ensure you reach the right temperature. This can vary depending on the type of aluminium and the presence of things like protective coatings. Sustainable foils are great because they typically don’t have a coating that could prevent recycling.
The use of modern furnaces helps to further boost the green credentials of recycled aluminium. They are efficient and reliable, saving resources. The shredding also helps to reduce costs here because the smaller surface area of the pieces means they melt easier.
Refining
The next phase is to refine the molten aluminium. This is crucial because it helps to remove impurities and increase the quality.
Casting
Finally, when the aluminium is as pure as possible, it is time to cast it into new basic products. This includes bars and sheets. These can then go for further processing to create all kinds of new products, such as foils.
Talk to us about sustainable foils
As you can see, it is a really interesting process to recycle aluminium foil. The most important thing to remember is it is efficient and consumes far fewer resources than producing all-new materials. Therefore, it is a good idea to recycle as much as possible to help the environment.
Businesses can also do their part to help the environment by carefully choosing quality aluminium products. For example, there are sustainable foils now for various decorative applications and much more. They have been made to ensure recyclability and sustainability. You can contact us to learn more about them; we’re happy to provide details and recommendations.