Metal Matters

Did you know, over 230 million cans, foil trays and aerosols are thrown out every year in Bristol?

When it comes to recycling, metal is hard to beat. That’s because it’s endlessly recyclable – every last bit can be turned into something else. And it’s a cycle that can go on forever…

The food or drink cans and other metal packaging items you recycle at home could end up being transformed into any one of a wide number of new products, from a designer watch or an iPod, to a washing machine or even a new bus!

Every time metal is recycled it saves energy, cuts greenhouse gas emissions and saves on landfill space – so it’s good news for the planet.

Best of all it doesn’t take a lot of effort on your part to make a big difference. All you need to do is drop your cans, empty aerosols, tins and foil in your green box or recycling centre – not the rubbish bin. It’s as easy as that!

So by recycling your waste metal packaging at home, you can reduce your carbon footprint, give this valuable resource to Bristol and stop it entering a landfill. The more of us that recycle, the more the benefits will add up.

How is waste metal transformed?

The empty can you recycle today could be back on the supermarket shelf as another can in as little as 60 days!

From your household recycling collection, the cans, foil and empty aerosols you save are taken to a reprocessing site.

Metal packaging is made of either aluminium or steel. At the materials recycling facility, the latest technology is used to separate the different metals before they are baled and sent for reprocessing. The process involves melting the metal; it is then cast into ingots which are sent on for manufacturing. The recycled metal is then used to produce all sorts of everyday items like cameras, irons and kettles as well as more food tins and cans.

That’s why it’s so important to do your bit – every piece of metal packaging you recycle will be used again and again for years to come. And every time it’s recycled we save energy, cut emissions – and reduce landfill areas and costs.