ALUMINUM RECYCLING (Grade 7-8)

Recycling centers store the used cans they buy from can collectors in trailers. A full trailer holds 15,000 pounds of loose cans. There are about 24 aluminum cans in a pound. When the trailer is full, it is hauled to a processing plant where the loose cans are pressed into huge 800-pound bales. Bales are loaded into rail boxcars for a trip to an aluminum company remelting plant. Remelted cans are rolled into new aluminum for new cans.

Use a price of 60 cents per pound in the following problems. Note though that the actual price paid by recycling centers varies by State and with the market price of aluminum. In some states, the value of a returned can is set with a bottle bill, which is a deposit system that pays five or ten cents per returned can or bottle. For information about the value of aluminum ready for recycling, contact your local recycling center, or if none is available, a local scrap metal dealer.


1. Suppose you own a recycling center. If you want to fill your trailer full of used beverage cans, how many cans will you need?

Number of cans =
2. How much cash can you collect for the cans in a full trailer?
$
3. If each can collector brings 30 pounds, how many collectors must visit the center before a trailer is full?
Number of collectors =
4. When the trailer is hauled to a processing plant (where loose cans are baled), how many complete bales can be made from one trailer load?
Number of complete bales =
5. How many cans are in one bale?
Number of cans / bale =
6. The bales are loaded in railroad boxcars. A boxcar holds 100 bales. How many pounds of cans are in a full boxcar?
Pounds of cans / boxcar =
7. How many cans are in a full boxcar?
Number of cans / bale =
8. How much were can collectors paid for the cans in a boxcar?
$ / boxcar =

Solution
© Copyright