To stop aluminium cans ending up in Australian landfills.
Originally sent as an email to every member of Australian parliament on 01-May-2013.
To stop aluminium cans ending up in Australian landfills.
Rationale: Australia is committed to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Making fresh aluminium zero uses large amounts of electricity for electrolysis and heating alumina to 1000 °C. Oxygen from the alumina combines with carbon at the cathode to release 1 molecule of CO2 for each molecule of aluminium (see: Hall–Héroult process). Most calculations give that 11x the energy is required for a new can than melting & re-curing one. This becomes 20x when the bauxite mining/refining is considered.
The current 1.3c paid per can for scrap is not effective to keep cans from landfill. They aren't magnetic and can't be retrieved. Each can not recycled is lost and the CO2 emissions of a new can are then effectively released to the world's atmosphere.
Rationale: Australia is committed to efforts to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Making fresh aluminium zero uses large amounts of electricity for electrolysis and heating alumina to 1000 °C. Oxygen from the alumina combines with carbon at the cathode to release 1 molecule of CO2 for each molecule of aluminium (see: Hall–Héroult process). Most calculations give that 11x the energy is required for a new can than melting & re-curing one. This becomes 20x when the bauxite mining/refining is considered.
The current 1.3c paid per can for scrap is not effective to keep cans from landfill. They aren't magnetic and can't be retrieved. Each can not recycled is lost and the CO2 emissions of a new can are then effectively released to the world's atmosphere.
A garbage bin is totally ignored by a bum despite containing many aluminium cans. Photo taken in Elsternwick, Victoria, July 2010.
Action: Charge 10c deposit per can at the point of sale. Visit New York state (5c deposit) to see machines in supermarket foyers that count cans and issue a docket for the money. Lazy or busy people can let the poor collect cans to make money. Children can collect cans and learn good habits.
It is less important to charge deposit on bottles, especially glass which is just melted sand and transport often uses more energy than making new glass.
It is less important to charge deposit on bottles, especially glass which is just melted sand and transport often uses more energy than making new glass.
Taglines for political rhetoric:
- For each aluminium can allowed into landfill, we are responsible for the differential in CO2 emission between a fresh can and a recycled one
- To tell larger population countries to reduce their CO2 emissions, we need to show that we are trying to do it
- This policy change can be described as a reduction in CO2 emissions due to less wastage of aluminium zero compared to previous decades
- We should pick the low fruit first
- This is a simple and effectual way to do something about CO2 emissions and will help clean our streets
- It doesn't matter if the aluminium is produced/recycled in Australia, as long as it doesn't end up in our landfills
