How Aluminum Beverage Cans are Recycled in Nigeria

buyscrapng February 20, 2025 No Comments

It’s no news that your beverage cans are recycled. Basically, you’re reusing the same can twice, which means you’ve probably drunk from the same can twice. Which is one of the beliefs some individuals have, hence they always wipe CT the head of the can or use a straw before drinking. Not so funny, is it? If you’re not giggling, my apologies; my sense of humor failed me there. You’re probably thinking about it, but it’s totally safe, as these aluminum beverage cans undergo a rigorous cleaning process, which would definitely put your mind at ease.

In this article, you’re going to walk through the entire process of aluminum can recycling.

Courtesy of BuyScrap.

Sit back, and let’s get into it.

The Recycling Process: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Collection

This is the first step, and this process involves the collection of scrap aluminum beverage cans, such as popular brands like Coca-Cola, Fanta, and the like. A lot of individuals play a very big role in the collection process. They include the consumer who properly disposes of the beverage aluminum can in the proper disposal section and aids the disposal companies in retrieving it easily.

The scrap scavenger and the recycler take the aluminum beverage cans disposed of improperly and bring them directly to the company and trade them at a stipulated price for their hard work. The end consumer can also be a part of this process by collecting the beverage aluminum cans and keeping them till they get to a good amount and can take them to the recyclers, sell them to the scrap scavengers, or even go as far as selling them to producers.

The transportation involved in this aspect is best done by the recyclers and scavengers unless the consumer has gathered a lot and decides to embark on the journey, which might be a bit exhausting on the first attempt. It is advisable to contact a recycling company that would handle the logistics, like the BuyScrap company, that would handle the stress and come with the seamless logistics service to pick up the aluminum beverage cans and take them to the company for proper disposal. In summary, it’s a whole network of individuals who are involved in the collection process.

Step 2: The cleaning process

The scavenger, recycler, the end consumer who wishes to trade and even the company after collection is also involved in this process, they clean up the cans to ensure no germs or debris are transferred in the recycling process. The best way to ensure the health and safety of the end consumer is always at heart, which is why it is a non-negotiable step. Companies give a higher pay for clean aluminum beverage cans because the goal is to encourage a clean environment and promote good health.

After collecting the aluminum cans from the various sources, the company further goes on to clean these cans by first compressing these cans to reduce the size then, using adequate chemicals or mechanical tools to clean the aluminum to ensure that they are germ free.

Step 3: Melting process

After the thorough cleaning process, the aluminum is put through a fiery furnace under intense heat for melting and further cleaning. Can you imagine how hot it would be? It’s all just to ensure that all other impurities that still managed to get in after the intense cleaning will be burnt out. All for your safety and well-being. That’s one of the reasons I told you not to worry.

Step 4: Repurposing and Packaging

This is the fun process, where the aluminum is reshaped into the size and shape of the beverage can and filled with your favorite drinks and packaged in a hygienic place suiting the NAFDAC standards for your health and safe consumption.

The benefits of Recycling Aluminum Cans

The entire purpose of recycling is to reduce exploitation of our natural resources to ensure that we preserve our natural resources and keep our environment safe and conducive for our living. The same applies to the recycling of aluminum cans, and I’ll tell you how below:

• It drastically reduces the carbon emissions that would have been produced as a result of new bauxite mining.
• It helps to save cost of production which in turn keeps the products affordable to the public.
• It saves time that would have been invested in the exploitation of our natural resources.
• It keeps the environment clean by creating a cycle that serves itself. I’ll explain. For every can that it recycles, you are reducing the waste pollution, thereby sustaining an equilibrium where the equal number of cans being consumed equals the number of cans being recycled. Amazing right?

Challenges and Opportunities in Nigeria’s Recycling Industry

Our beloved Nigeria is still a developing country, and it faces some challenges in the recycling industry, and they include:

• Inadequate recycling education: Dear reader, due to the lack of awareness in rural areas, most of the recyclable materials are still being disposed of wrongly, put into the environment, and littering our water bodies and our gutters. Threatening our aquatic life and our drainage systems, which is a big cause of flooding in both rural and urban areas in Nigeria.
• Insufficient recycling infrastructures: the waste production in Nigeria is far greater than the waste management let alone recycling infrastructures, very few companies like BuyScrap are available to aid the proper disposal of waste in the environment hence a great amount of waste still to be dealt with.
• Insufficient funds: Companies like BuyScrap are willing to take recycling and clean up of our country to the next step but lacks adequate funding to effectively carry out logistics for the waste, land payments for the waste, and adequate compensation for the individuals who are a part of the recycling project.
• Lack of proper recognition: Most recycling initiatives are not recognized by the government; hence, individuals do not pay any heed to the need to recycle their waste or take it to recycling companies. There are some waste disposal companies, but recycling companies are just as important, and hence the call for government recognition.

The Role of Consumers in Recycling Aluminum Cans

Consumers play a very important role because it all begins with them, from the purchase to the disposal method. That is how the cycle begins. If all consumers recycled aluminum cans properly, we would have less occluded drainage systems and less pollution. Every consumer has a role to play, beginning from today, and end to litttering must begin. The intentional act of properly disposing of aluminum cans, using actual dustbins and only disposing of aluminum cans with recycling companies, waste collectors, or even scavengers, will go a long way in the green economy that we dream of for Nigeria.

Government Initiatives and Policies for Recycling

The government can support the recycling initiative by establishing policies and introducing initiatives that support recycling in Nigeria.

• For starters, allocating funds and lands for recycling purposes to recycling industries within the city, like BuyScrap located at 593 Agege Motor Road, Shogunle, Lagos, and 5 Shomide Street, Idi-Mangoro, Mangoro, Agege, Lagos, will enable them to encourage the masses to recycle and get stipends in return and have the space to accommodate the scrap materials and afford logistics to pick up the scraps from the rural areas and transport them to the major recycling companies at ease.
• Establishing the use of recyclable disposable bags and the use of recycling posters, signs, and even recycling containers with different labels for the different products or scraps that can be recycled. That way the damage done to the ecosystem will be zero to nothing, and this amazing initiative will encourage recycling and, at the same time, lower improper dumping of refuse.
• Don’t you think proper education of the masses and even students that can read at write in different classes on the benefits of recycling and the dangers of littering and pollution will go a long way? It most definitely will. Including recycling awareness into the academic curriculum and training programs by the government will have a massive positive impact on the economy.

The Future of Aluminum Can Recycling in Nigeria

Dear reader, it is not enough that we hope for the best; we must take action beginning from our next step. From our next purchase till our next disposal, we must be recycle conscious. The next time you purchase your favorite beverage in a can, or you see an aluminum can that isn’t properly disposed of, do the needful so we can keep our land green, reduce exploitation of resources, and create a clean and healthier Nigeria. The future of aluminum recycling in Nigeria rests in our hands; together we can treat it right; united for one cause, we can bring about positive change.

Stay tuned for our next article, and see you next time.