Aluminium can be found all over your house. It’s not just found in drink cans – it turns up in all sorts of places…

How many things around your house can you find that are made of aluminium? Here’s some tips on how to find out if it’s made of aluminium or not:

Although aluminium isn’t magnetic, we can use magnets to test things. If it sticks, it’s a metal – just not aluminium.

And there’s The Scrunch Test – when scrunched, aluminium remains scrunched. Other things like plastics bounce back into shape!

More and more, aluminium is replacing plastic and steel components as it’s stronger and tougher than plastic and lighter than steel. It also allows heat to dissipate quickly, keeping electronic devices from overheating.

Interior designers like to use aluminium as it’s easy to shape and looks great.

Like the legs on dining tables and chairs, or picture frames.

Most food cans are made of steel. The metal is thicker which helps store food safely for long periods. However drink cans are usually made from aluminium, which is lighter than steel.

black and white round plastic containers

Aluminium cooking utensils are non-toxic, resistant to rust and are easy to clean.

Kitchen foil is also aluminium! As are some chocolate wrappers and yogurt lids – if they pass the scrunch test! Scrunch the foil into a ball, and if it stays in a ball and doesn’t bounce back – it’s recyclable!

Aluminium foil provides a complete barrier to light, oxygen, moisture and bacteria, helping store perishable goods without refrigeration.

Remember aluminium drink cans, aerosolsand foil trays need to be empty before they can be recycled.

Things to spot around the home which might contain aluminium:
• Drink cans – the most common use of aluminium in packaging
• Aerosols
• Bike frames and wheels
• Wires for electricity transmission
• Cooking pots and pans
• Foil layers in food packaging, like fruit juice cartons
• The metal layer in CDs and DVDs
• Tent poles
• Golf clubs and tennis rackets
• Scooters, inline skates, greenhouse frames, window frames, caravans, solar panels…

Click here for some amazing free aluminium education resources!

And remember to always recycle your aluminium – whether a drink can or foil tray, foil wrapping or bottle cap – always put your aluminium into your recycling. After all, aluminium is infinitely recyclable.