alumina
The chemical compound aluminum oxide that is widely distributed in nature and occurs combined with silica and other minerals in clays, feldspars and micas, and in almost pure form in corundum. It is the major component of bauxite and is used in the production of aluminum metal.

aluminum
A silver-white metal that is ductile and malleable and conducts heat and electricity. Aluminum resists corrosion by forming a protective oxide (alumina) coating. It is the most abundant metal in the earth's crust (about eight percent by weight) and occurs combined with other elements.

bauxite ore
A mixture of hydrated aluminum oxides usually containing oxides of iron and silicon. Bauxite is claylike, ranging from white to brown or red in color, and is the chief source of aluminum and its compounds. It is widely distributed, with deposits in Africa, South America, France, the USSR, the West Indies and the United States.

bimetal can
A can with an aluminum lid enclosing a steel body, such as most snack-sized fruit cans.

biodegradable
Materials that have the ability to be broken down into simpler components by living organisms.

chilling
The process of sudden cooling, especially without freezing. Aluminum's ability to conduct temperature makes it an efficient mechanism for chilling canned beverages.

closed-loop recycling
Taking an old product and turning it into a new product of the same kind.

compost
The material made when nature's food rots and renews the soil. Decayed organic matter that is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.

cycle
A series of events that recur regularly and usually lead back to the starting point.

heat conductivity
The ability of a substance to conduct heat.

ingot
A long bar of metal (in this case aluminum) that is rolled through heavy presses into thin sheets that are coiled and sent to can manufacturers.

landfill
A system of trash and garbage disposal in which waste is buried between layers of earth. Once a landfill is sealed, nothing will decay in it.

lightweighting
The process of using less material (like aluminum) to make a product (like an aluminum can) of the same volume and quality.

magnetism
A class of physical phenomena that include being able to attract iron. Magnetism is associated with moving electricity, is exhibited by both magnets and electric currents, and involves force fields.

manufactured packaging
Packaging that is made by people or machines.

natural packaging
The "package" nature makes, such as a banana peel, an onion skin or an eggshell.

nonbiodegradable
Materials that cannot be broken down into simpler components by living organisms.

nonrenewable resources
Resources that will not "grow back" once they are used, or take such a long time to be replaced (such as petroleum) that they are virtually nonrenewable.

packaging
The container or combination of materials used to wrap a product and protect it from damage, theft and/or decay.

post-consumer content
A term used to indicate that an item was made with recycled materials from the consumer solid waste stream. For example, recycled aluminum cans (collected from consumer households) are used in the production of new aluminum cans. Therefore, aluminum cans are said to have a "post-consumer content" that varies from region to region.

recyclable
A term used to describe items that are made from materials that can be recycled, such as aluminum cans. Recyclable products are separated from solid waste for processing. However, the use of the word recyclable on a package does not necessarily mean that your community collects the package for recycling.

recycled content
A term used to indicate that an item was produced from recycled materials. For example, aluminum cans are manufactured with an average of 54 percent recycled aluminum. The recycled material may be scrap from an aluminum or can manufacturing plant, or it may come from cans that were recycled by consumers.

recycling
The collection of materials for reuse or for refabrication into new materials.

renewable resource
A resource that can grow back, such as trees.

steel
An alloy of iron, carbon and small proportions of other elements. (A "tin" can is 99 percent steel with a thin coating of tin.)