Manufacturing items from recycled metal requires almost 17 times less energy than from newly mined metal.
Recycling one tonne of steel saves 1,136 kg of iron ore, 454 kg of coal and 18 kg of limestone.
Recycling a single aluminium can saves enough energy to run a lightbulb for 20 hours or a computer for three hours.
Metal recycling is a fast process. In less than two months an aluminium can be recycled and returned to the shelf in another form.
Recycling metal reduces air pollution. By using recycled steel there is 86 per cent reduction in air pollution and 76 per cent reduction in water pollution.
In a landfill a tin can will decompose in about 50 years, since it’s composed of flimsier metal. But an aluminium can will take 200-500 years.
Precious metals found in electronics are recyclable, too, for production of new electronics.