Why is it that aluminum cans have a better recycling exchange than glass bottles?

aluminum is easier to reuse

It would depend a lot on where you are.

Aluminum is worth the most, so generally will pay better, but some places have a small amount that’s paid for each can or bottle that’s purchased. When those are turned in, you get that amount back.

With nothing like that in place, aluminum cans are usually worth the most for the raw materials. Getting aluminum out of the ground is a pain.

Energy-wise recycling aluminum takes only about 5% as much energy as making new aluminum. E.g. you ‘recover’ 95% of the original energy investment when recycling aluminum.

Glass is made from sand, of which we have so much that it’s not even funny.

Thermodynamics. It takes ALOT of energy to separate metallic aluminum from ores mined from the earth. It is so hard to do that aluminum was much more expensive than gold before the late 19th century despite the element being far, far more common in the earth’s crust. Aluminum refining is generally sited in places where there is cheap and plentiful hydroelectric power for this reason.

To greatly simplify things, glass is just melted sand with some soda and other things thrown in to keep it from crystallizing once it is cooled. You don’t need additional energy input to change the essential chemistry.

Recycling glass takes about 50% as much energy as it did to make the glass in the first place. Recycling steel is similar, around 50%. Paper is between 30 and 70% (more variety of discarded paper and finished products). Aluminum just beats anything else for having a good energy-policy reason to recycle it. The fact that it lasts so long after discarded is another good reason.

@Nullo I don’t think that’s it at all. Aluminium is the third most common element on earth after hydrogen and oxygen (ie water).

@Lightlyseared * shrugs *

I would think because its easier/faster to melt down aluminum to create a new product than it would be for glass. Aluminum is more pliable and glass is more like a rock.

The amount of money you get back from your recyclables depends on where you are recycling.

From the consumers point of view, cans are the easiest to store and handle. They even have a can crushing device which works easily with one downward push.

Glass is a lot heavier and more prone to accidental breakage.

Plastic bottles (particularly the large 2 or 3 liter bottles are a huge PITA to deal with. You need large trash bags to put them in etc. Ive discovered this the hard way upon moving to Michigan. Ten cents is added to the purchase of every bottle and can so unless one is rich, you save them to bring back to store to get your money back.

But those large plastic bottles are awkward space hogs. I hate it.

And if you want to get your money back on cans you cant crush them. The machines operate by reading the bar codes. The whole system is a mess. I hate it.