TALKING TRASH:

ALUMINUM CANS

By Natalie Bennett, Aidan Brady, Violet Frohlich, Bryce Perkins and Owen Ros

Aluminum in Ancient Civilizations

hide tanning
first aid
pottery

Aluminum contributed to the

invention of flight.

Considered
more valuable
than gold,
silver and
platinum in the
1800s

Charles Hall

Paul Heroult

Karl Josef Bayer

The Heroult-Hall Electrolysis Process

1) Aluminum ore, called bauxite, is extracted from the earth.
2) The bauxite is purified into alumina by being crushed, poured into
an autoclave, sent to a filter, sent to a precipitator and then sent to
a calciner. The end product is alumina (aluminum oxide).
3) Through a process called electrolysis, in which an electrical current
is used to cause a chemical reaction, aluminum is extracted.
4) The alumina is electrolyzed in molten cryolite, pure aluminum is
produced.

image from http://sam.davyson.com/as/physics/aluminium/siteus/resources/alprod.jpg

Elements Present in the Base of Aluminum Drinking Cans

The Superior Aluminum Can

Light
Entire sheet of
aluminum is used
including all the scraps.
Can be recycled an
infinite times
Can be remade in
about 60 days

Protected from light and

oxygen that could damage
the contents
Lightweight and easily
transported
Durable
Easily packable in recycling
bins (most recycled item)
Doesnt taint taste of the
liquid

the Cash for Cans logo

Bill Coors, the head of the company in 1959

Caustic red mud residue

Trashing Aluminum Cans

Every second, Americans throw away 1,500 cans.

The amount of energy wasted when one can is thrown away is equivalent
to the amount of energy produced by 4 ounces of gasoline. This quantity
of gasoline would allow a car that has 25 miles to the gallon to drive a little
over .75 miles.
When new alumina (aluminum oxide) is smelted, sulfur oxide and nitrogen
oxide are produced. These toxic gases make up a significant portion of the
smog and acid rain urban cities encounter.

Health Impact of Aluminum Cans

Causes:

Drink or ingest substances

containing high levels of
aluminum
Breathe aluminum dust in the
workplace
Live where aluminum is mined
or processed
Live near certain hazardous
waste sites
Live where aluminum is
naturally high

Effects:
Damage to central nervous
system
Dementia
Loss of memory
Listlessness
Severe trembling

Upcycling Aluminum Cans

Rather than throwing away or recycling your can, there are multiple other
ways you can make your can be useful.

Solar Heater
The solar heater is attached to a pre-installed air
vent that lead into the room that you would like to
be heated. At the bottom air vent there is a fan
pushing the falling cool air into the vent and up the
heater. The air is collected in this box and from
there travels through the soda cans to the top.
The soda cans have small holes on the bottom
that allow the air to travel through and are painted
black to help retain heat. The soda cans are
heated by the sunlight and therefore heat the air
traveling through. The heated air exits through the
top and helps to heat the room.

Sources
Detrimental Effects
http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/the-aluminum-can-s-dirty-little-secret-3838
http://thegoodhuman.com/2009/09/03/americans-throw-away-1500-aluminum-cans-per-second/
http://www.med.nyu.edu/content?ChunkllD=164929
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/

History
http://www.aluminum.org/aluminum-advantage/history-aluminum
http://www.mnn.com/food/beverages/sponsorstory/bill-coors-we-invented-recycling

Chemical
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/chemicals/extractionmetalsrev3.shtml
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Aluminum-Beverage-Can.html
http://www.aluminum.org/
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/10/30/aluminum-can-recycling-rate-hit-67-in-2012