The aluminum beverage can is currently the most recycled package on the market today. Once recycled, the aluminum beverage can returns to the retailer?s shelf as a new, filled can in as little as 60 days after collection. In those 60 days, the cans are remelted, rolled, manufactured, and distributed. Aluminum smelters, can manufacturers, recycling centers and scrap dealers are all good sources to return your aluminum cans, all paying competitive prices for scrap. Aluminum cans are traded like a commodity with price premiums being offered based on greater poundage recycled.

Aluminum cans must be separated, clean, and dry to be of value. Cans can be source separated by base residents and personnel participating in curbside or voluntary drop-off collection programs, or separated at a materials recovery facility. "Reverse vending" machines are another collection option available for lease or purchase. Recyclers insert their used aluminum cans into automatic recycling machines for weighing and receive cash or vouchers in exchange.

Aluminum cans can be compacted into bales, or shredded to reduce storage and transportation requirements to the reclamation center where they are melted down for reuse. The amount of processing required depends on the needs of the buyer.

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as a general guideline and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g. the amount of workload involved.

Consult your local industrial health specialist and your local health and safety personnel prior to implementing this technology.

• Reduces the volume of waste disposed in landfills by approximately 1% (U.S. EPA 1994).
• Conserves energy and natural resources used to produce new aluminum.
• Reduces landfill disposal fees.
• Generates revenue.
• Requires little, if any, simple off-the-shelf processing equipment.
• Encourages the recycling of other commodities.

• Training of waste generators will be required, to ensure that aluminum waste streams can be properly separated.
• Aluminum must be segregated from steel, plastic and other debris.

Based on vendor information, capital costs for the purchase of a typical recycling unit would be approximately $20,000. Operating costs would include maintenance activities (e.g. cleaning of the unit, trash removal, coin loading), consumer revenue, and transportation costs to deliver the cans to market.

Market prices for aluminum range from $350 to $800/ton from local recycling centers, with prices on the West Coast considerably higher (greater than $1,000/ton). Higher market prices are generally obtained for good quality (uncontaminated) metal cans.

Assumptions:

• Medium scale aluminum collection program: 1 ton/month
• Purchase of 40 curbside recycling containers: $15/container
• Purchase of one large collection bin: $500
• Labor for collection/separation of aluminum containers: 2 hrs/week
• Landfill fee: $25/ton
• Labor rate: $30/hr
• Transportation cost to on-base recycle center: $50/month
• Transportation cost to landfill: $150/month
• Aluminum market price: $800/ton

Economic Analysis Summary

Annual Savings for Diversion Method over Disposal: $7,980
Capital Cost for Diversion Equipment/Process: $1,100
Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: < 1 Year

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