Some 119,482 cans are recycled every minute nationwide. Used aluminum cans are recycled and returned to store shelves as new cans in as few as 60 days. Recycling saves 95 percent of the energy required to make aluminum cans from virgin ore. This represents enough energy to supply the electrical needs of a city the size of Pittsburgh for about six years. This infra-structure makes it easy for Americans to redeem their used aluminum beverage cans for cash.
Aluminum cans have tremendous value.
Cans are an excellent example of voluntary source reduction because the can industry has made great efforts to reduce the amount of aluminum to make a beverage can. By developing new technologies to reduce the can's weight, the industry now produces an average of 31.92 cans from every pound of aluminum. The weight reduction continues through the use of smaller can ends.