Recycling aluminum is extremely important because the process of extracting it from the ground is so great. Aluminum is the third most abundant raw, natural element found on Earth. Millions of tons of aluminum is extracted each year using processes that is not only uses an enormous amount of electricity, water and resources, but it also has a huge environmental impact.  The open-pit mining process destroys all vegetation in the mining area, which obviously results in a total loss of habitat and food for wildlife in the vicinity and causes massive soil erosion.  Toxic tailing ponds are created during the process that can seep into aquifers, devastating local water sources. Various greenhouse gases are emitted during the processing of the raw material that are not only detrimental to air quality but also greatly contributes to the global climate change issue.

In comparison, recycling aluminum, which can be done continually with no issue, requires 95% less energy to produce the same end product than using a virgin source. So, by recycling aluminum products we can conserve energy and natural resources, protect habitat (and therefore wildlife), reduce greenhouse gases and decrease the amount of air and water pollution created.

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Sources:

By Reusing Aluminum, Paper, Glass, Plastics, and Other Materials, We Can save Production and Energy Costs, and Reduce the Negative Impacts That the Extraction and Processing of Virgin Materials Has on the Environment. “Buildings & Grounds Maintenance.” Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits of Recycling. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.

“Interesting Facts About Aluminum Recycling – Conserve-Energy-Future.” ConserveEnergyFuture. N.p., 04 June 2016. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.

RecycleNation. “What Aluminum Extraction Really Does to the Environment.” RecycleNation. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.