How can a metal sheet of thickness less than 0,2 mm be so important and present nthe day to day of so many Brazilians — and probably in your routine, isn't it? The answer is simple. Precisely because it is so thin, the aluminum paper é highly malleable, i.e. it can be bent and cover objects with ease. Furthermore, it is easy to be cut and quite versatile, indicated for use in a variety of situations, such as preventing oven-baked foods from drying out or facilitate the dyeing of locks in the hair.
O aluminum paper was commercialized for the first time in 1910, in Switzerland, when a factory decided to use it to pack its chocolates, among them the famous toblerone. Two years later, it started to be used by the company Maggi as packaging for soups and seasoning cubes. Gradually, it became highly valued for its good electrical conductivity and for being a thermal insulator. Thus, it gained market preference and, in the middle of the twentieth century, completely replaced the use of tin paper.
But do you know where it comes from aluminum paper? Can this material be recycled? If so, how should it be disposed of: paper or aluminum? Understanding all of this is important to optimize the use of the product, reducing the amount of waste you discard per day and, consequently, the impact it has on the environment. With that in mind, we have prepared a text with valuable information and tips that will help you save money and, above all, contribute to a more sustainable world!
1. Understand how aluminum foil is made
You know this product on the supermarket shelf: a very thin roll, ready for slicing and packaging food and other items. But to get there, the path is very long. The production of aluminum paper It starts with a solid block of pure metal, which is subjected to high temperatures in a natural gas furnace. In this stage, the molten aluminum goes through some drainage processes to purify the metal and is cooled again in 45 cm thick ingots weighing 7,5 tons. Afterwards, these pieces are taken to machines with conveyor belts, where they are pressed by cylinders, still at extremely high temperatures. When the plate reaches 5 mm, it is rolled up and goes through a new process, until it reaches 0,5 mm thickness. It is at this stage that the aluminum is cut to the width of the roll we know in the supermarket.
And a curiosity: at a certain point, the aluminum sheet becomes so thin that it is difficult to press it further in the machine. To solve this problem, manufacturers put two sheets together and run them through the machine at once. But contact with the machine gives it a glossy look, so the sheet turns into two uneven surfaces. That's why the aluminum paper it has a matte side — which is ideal for cold foods, and a smooth side — more suitable for hot recipes.
2. Make the correct disposal
Yes the aluminum paper it's recyclable! And, as you learned in the manufacturing process, it's made entirely of metal, so there's no more guesswork when it comes to disposal. And you can find the recycling bins in specific places like squares and parks in your city. They are separated by color according to each material — paper, metal, glass and plastic — and generally the metal bin is yellow.
In this way, you help to preserve the environment, since aluminum returns to the production chain and fewer resources need to be extracted from the source. To give you an idea, recycling 1 ton of aluminum spends only 5% of the energy used in the production of the primary material, and 5 kg of bauxite (aluminum ore) are saved for each kilogram of recycled material. And remember that bauxite is one of the agents responsible for the occurrence of acid rain, which reduces soil pH and contaminates water sources.
But there is an important issue that negatively influences the recycling of aluminum paper. It is often discarded along with food residues or other impurities, and this makes the process difficult or even impossible. Therefore, when the material is really no longer able to be reused, carry out basic cleaning, preferably with reuse water, before discarding it.
3. Reuse
As seen, the proper disposal of the aluminum paper is essential for the preservation of the environment. But, to contribute even more to the sustainability of the planet, it is necessary to be aware of the entire production cycle. Thus, you can understand the importance of making the most of the useful life of this material. And to show you how easy this is, we've prepared some tips that can be applied in your everyday life.
a) remove rust
Imagine you need an object and it got rusty. It's an annoying situation, but it can be solved in a simple way. just knead the aluminum paper and use it like a sponge, rubbing it in place. Perhaps this process will take longer than if it were carried out with a steel sponge, for example, but, as it is a lighter material, there is less risk of scratching the object.
b) clean grates
A golden tip is use the aluminum paper when roasting some types of meat. Still, it's quite possible for the barbecue to make a big mess, and cleaning the grills is especially difficult. But, to remove waste faster, you can reuse the aluminum paper used at the party, rolling it into a ball and rubbing it on the grates.
c) sharpening scissors
O aluminum paper is an easy, quick and affordable solution for sharpening scissors at home, without much effort. To do this, you just need to take a sheet of this material, which can be new or completely crumpled, and cut it about 10 times with the scissors that are “blunt”. To check if it was well sharpened, test it by cutting another type of material, such as a sheet of paper. That simple!
allocating the aluminum paper to the correct place and following the tips above, you contribute to a more conscious consumption. But, in addition to recycling and reusing this material, there is another very important point: reducing consumption. And, for that, it is fundamental to choose a quality product, like the produced by Alpfilm. So you save money and still get great results.