Is Aluminum More Sustainable Than Plastic?

Why is aluminum more sustainable than plastic?

1. Fairly abundant natural resource
2. 100% recyclable
3. Closed-loop recycling
4. Higher likelihood of re-use
5. Fewer additives and chemicals
6. Durable and long-lasting

Plastic and Aluminum: two of the most widely used materials in the world today. You can see them everywhere — in buildings, the medical industry, in transportation vehicles, and more. While these materials are considered essential, how often do we consider their long-term impact? 

In this day and age, this is an important feature to consider before choosing your materials for your packaging and construction projects. In this article, we dive into a comparison of the two, and why aluminum is more sustainable than plastic. 

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is a concept that’s been on everyone’s minds lately. It considers the impacts that materials have on both the consumer (that’s you) and the environment around you. It looks into the development of different materials, products, goods, and services, and compares it against how these things meet our needs, and how it affects the world as a whole. 

As a concept, it recognizes that nearly every natural resource is finite — meaning, it can run out at any time. Therefore, sustainability is also concerned with creating products that benefit us for years and years and can be replaced with ease.

Fairly abundant natural resource

Metals and plastics are both created from non-renewable natural resources. Metals come from mined ore, while plastics come from fossil fuels. Between the two sources, ores tend to be more abundant and easier to harvest and refine. 

In fact, the metal that aluminum is made from — bauxite — still has considerable reserves around the globe. These reserves are estimated to be 55 to 75 billion metric tons, primarily spread across Africa (32%), Oceania (23%), South America (21%), and Asia (18%).

100% recyclable

Metals in general are more easily recycled than plastics. This is due to the nature of their chemical structure. Different types of plastic resins are often combined in manufacturing processes, which makes recycling them much more difficult. Adding onto that is the fact that they become easily warped, stained, and bonded to other materials — all negatively affecting their recyclability.

On the other hand, aluminum is one of the few materials in the world that are truly 100% recyclable. This adds to their higher recycling rate and helps reduce their production footprint. 

While it takes a considerable amount of ore to create aluminum — It takes about 4 lb (2 kg) of bauxite to produce 1 lb (0.5 kg) of aluminum metal — there is less need for new aluminum production. In fact, secondary aluminum is more common nowadays than primary aluminum. They can be used to make new doors, windows, cookware, and other aluminum products, and perform just as well as “new” aluminum. 

Closed-loop recycling

Because they’re 100% recyclable, aluminum has what we call a “closed-loop recycling process.” Plastic has a “down-cycle” process, meaning that they lose quality and mechanical properties every time they undergo recycling, and eventually become unusable. When this happens, they are scrapped and sent to landfills. 

But since aluminum has a closed-loop process, it can be recycled again and again without losing any of its quality. This means they don’t need “virgin” material to be added — they’re usable fresh out of the recycling plant. Thus, there is usually a quicker turnaround time when it comes to getting secondary aluminum for your project. 

Higher likelihood of re-use

Aluminum is a great material. Despite being lightweight, it’s a very strong and durable metal. These beneficial properties plus their recyclability means that aluminum can easily be used to make a variety of products from car components to building materials. This versatility means that aluminum has a higher likelihood of re-use. Many aluminum suppliers, manufacturers, and recyclers encourage their customers to send in any aluminum scrap to be reformed and made into usable products.

On the other hand, plastic is known for being cheap material. Also, plastic products tend to be short-lived and flimsy compared to metal products. This results in plastics being more likely to be thrown away after single-use, or when it becomes damaged. This in turn contributes to the global waste problem.

Fewer additives and chemicals

The potential issues that are caused by plastic are far greater than what comes from aluminum usage and waste. This is because plastic causes more litter, and is a heavily altered and polluted material. Aluminum generally does not have the same issues, despite many aluminum products being coated and chemically treated.

Plastic products contain many additives, chemicals, and other plastics to become more durable. Certain chemicals, like BPA, are a health concern for humans. However, BPA is present in many commercial plastic products and poses a threat to you and the environment. These chemicals and additives also contribute to plastic’s slow degradation rate and can be leached into water and soil.

Durable and long-lasting

Being a metal, it’s no surprise that aluminum is generally more durable than most types of plastic. Aluminum can withstand more extreme environments, can resist corrosion, and lasts longer than plastic. Because it’s so long-lasting, aluminum-made products like aluminum windows and doors are a good investment for both private and commercial buildings.

Being lightweight and malleable, it’s also an easy metal to work with, allowing manufacturers and suppliers to reuse and repurpose large pieces of aluminum scrap (such as house sidings, roofing, and frame materials) into new aluminum products. The same cannot be said for plastic products.

How does sustainability affect me?

Sustainability is the key to ensuring all the materials and products that you purchase to improve the quality of your life. Choosing a material like aluminum that is durable, easy to work with, easy to recycle, and has a reduced carbon footprint allows you to cut back on significant project costs. These qualities also ensure that this aluminum is readily available and cheaper to replace than other options. Going with a sustainable material will not only benefit the environment but will also benefit you, the end-user, in the long run.

Key Takeaway

Choosing aluminum means planning for the long run — aluminum is more sustainable than plastic, and this is an important thing to consider. Sourcing the right products, finding the right materials that are strong, affordable, and environmentally efficient will provide many benefits for you and your project.

At AMC Aluminum, we understand the importance of sustainability. Our aluminum doors, windows, sheets, rollers, and other aluminum accessories are made with quality and lifespan in mind. We guarantee our products can perform at their best for years to come.