Title: Environmental Problems Associated With Recycling Aluminum | Education - Seattle PI
Headings: Environmental Problems Associated With Recycling Aluminum
Environmental Problems Associated With Recycling Aluminum
Toxic Melted Waste
Disposing of the Toxic Cake
Fossil Fuels
Air Pollution

Content: Recycling this metal requires heavy machines that shred, melt and compress the aluminum. These machines are powered by burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and gasoline. Burning fossil fuels releases nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and particulate matter. The sulfur and nitrogen oxides cause acid rain, which damages buildings and kills plants. Particulate matter is inhaled by people and can cause heart problems, lung problems and death. Air Pollution
The air pollution from recycling aluminum doesn’t just come from the heavy machines that burn fossil fuels. Air pollution is produced when the aluminum is melted. The melting process releases furans, dioxides, hydrogen chloride and particulate matter. Furans may be one of the worst toxic pollutants in the air. They are known to cause many health problems in humans, including liver damage, certain types of cancer, skin disorders, neurological problems and immune system impairment.