Recycling Cans vs. Glass Bottles: Which is Less Damaging for the Environment?

Question

Does a 12oz aluminum can take the same energy to recycle as a 12oz glass bottle? What are the recycling pros and cons of choosing one over the other?

Answer 1

In terms of which is better you have to look at the whole picture. Using recycled aluminum to create new materials costs 5% of the overall energy cost of mining aluminum for the same process.

Using recycled glass cullet to make new glass containers uses about 60%, if you are using 100% recycled cullet.

So when you factor the energy cost of collection into the equation, recycling aluminum is better for the environment than glass.

In addition, aluminum is an expanding market (aluminum bottles are becoming the rage) so there is an increasing demand for it. Glass is declining on the shelves of our supermarkets so the demand is much less. There have been recycling programs that have dropped glass from their programs due to adverse market conditions and the costs of collecting the material.

Answer 2

Many places don't even recycle some types of glass. Aluminum is a resource many people take for granted: much of it is mined in tropical climates, whereas the major component to glass is sand. Knowing this, I'd think recycling aluminum is higher priority. Also, I've visited one of the top waste treatment facilities in New England where they recycle most of the materials they take, but throw away green glass, as nobody buys it. Budweiser is the largest recycler of brown glass, but there are no companies in the market who have a large enough demand for green glass, and is consequently discarded in the landfill. As far as utilizing energy is concerned, both need to be disinfected, probably with the same chemicals.

Recycling glass has a higher energy input since 1. It needs to be crushed/grinded up, and 2. The melting point is 2000C as opposed to 660C for aluminum, so it uses much more energy to make. Since we know energy doesn't magically come out of holes in the wall, and is produced mainly by coal, oil, gas or nuclear power, that takes a toll on the environment.

So, based on the use of energy, recycling aluminum cans is less damaging for the environment.

I'd still recycle both, as it's still better for the environment than obtaining fresh material and sending used stuff to a landfill.

Answer 3

Interestingly enough, in Hawaii, where they are running out of sand for the beaches, they are still pouring sand into making concrete. Meanwhile, because it is so costly to get materials back to the mainland for recycling, glass is being dumped as trash. If they would crush the glass, it could replace the sand that they are taking from the beaches and solve two problems at once. But nobody asked me....
It takes more energy to reclaim, sterlize and reprocess a glass bottle than it does to melt down an aluminum can and make a new one.

Answer 4

Conspiracy theory #777 - recyclables are taken to India and dumped while they keep destroying the planet to make more. From talking to recyclers, I suspect it's a farce to make us feel better about driving SUV's and eating edible oil products. But that's just me (and some others :)

Answer 5

It is virtually impossible to answer your question accurately with only one unit of each. Recycling companies grind, clean, and melt down these materials in huge quantities. Think tons!!!

I would just play it safe and recycle everything you can. That way if we ever run out of something you can look back and say. "Hey, I did my part."

Answer 6

Cans, cause they can be reused. Glass however, can't be turned into sand again, and is basically very useless after t is used.