“Aluminum cans are easy to sort as there is no need to physically separate other materials such as labels and lids. Eddy current separation is done in advance and the recycling process is incredibly straightforward. The inherent value of aluminum cans means they will always be recycled once collected. Since aluminum is a permanent material and possesses true closed loop recyclability, meaning it can be recycled over and over again without losing quality, it can be re-used for the same purpose. For every 1 kg of aluminum collected, virtually the same quality and quantity of recycled metal is produced with a few technical caveats. With state-of-the-art furnaces in place accepting only used beverage cans (UBCs) that meet high-quality standards, total metal losses in the recycling process are limited to 2%, mainly due to oxidation. When factoring in the recycling rate and the material losses in recycling, it is clear that the recycling yields of the aluminum recycling process really matter. Once again, this demonstrates the true advantage of the aluminum can as a front runner in sustainability. Unlike other beverage packaging materials, aluminum cans are also rarely subject to degradation, mechanical stress, insolation, water and wind erosion.”
“A fully circular product is one that is designed for recycling and can be recycled with minimum material loss, resulting in a high-quality material at the end of the process for which there is already a market and so remains in the economy indefinitely. Although an aluminum can is such a product, we cannot achieve full circularity unless all cans are collected, properly sorted and recycled.”
Excerpted from: ALUMINIUM BEVERAGE CAN: A KEY ENABLER FOR A TRUE CIRCULAR ECONOMY – Recycling Roadmap (canroadmap2030.eu)
The circular economy is moving away from the traditional “take – make – dispose” economic model to one that is regenerative by design. This is exactly what the NESTEC Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (MCC RTO / RCO) has been accomplishing for years. The MCC RTO/RCO purification exhaust energy is captured and reused within the oxidation process, over and over again, thus dramatically reducing the oxidation energy consumption — by as much as 96% or greater based on the overall system and associated coatings used in the can manufacturing process.
NESTEC has designed and implemented several can manufacturing air emission control systems to enhance the overall beverage can circular economy with recirculated energy in the can manufacturing air emission compliance and energy conservation. (See: Circular Economy | Nestec, Inc.)
The exhaust air from the can manufacturing process is collected and processed through NESTEC’s multiple component system design to maximize energy conservation. A typical NESTEC system design flows from the process to the filters, to the concentrator, and eventually to a regenerative thermal oxidizer (MCC RTO).
NESTEC’s solutions have led to substantial cost reductions in RTO/RCO capital equipment as well as long term operating costs, thus providing the best and most economical solution for the application. The NESTEC approach offers a total air emission control system with alternate options for the capital equipment system and associated operating costs. Thus, providing a customer matrix of potential solutions that can lead to the best and most economical solution for the specific plant air emission control and energy conservation needs.
If you have an application or existing RTO/RCO for air emission control and/or energy conservation and want a system that will deliver:
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- A truly Circular Economy
- Alternate solutions to minimize your capital expenditure
- Lowered energy bills
- Reduced stack testing costs to a single stack
- A smaller carbon footprint
- Easy maintainable equipment
- Simple and long-term reliability components (see: https://www.nestecinc.com/news/innovation)
- 24/7 service and engineering support
- Access to NESTEC’s warehouse of replacement components
…then contact NESTEC for a free process analysis and proposal.
Office: 610.323.7670
Jim Nester, CEO: jnester@nestecinc.com
Rick Reimlinger, Vice President: rick.reimlinger@nestecinc.com
Rodney L Pennington, PE, Sr. Director- Specialized Sales: rpennington@nestecinc.com
Bill Holden, Services Manager: wholden@nestecinc.com
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