SoylentNews

Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

“Despite the fact that Sigg boasts of the recyclability of their aluminum water bottles – and to be clear, aluminum is completely recyclable – their bottles are made from 100 percent virgin aluminum. Consequently, each 150 gram, 1 liter Sigg bottle releases roughly .77 pounds of carbon [treehugger.com] before it’s even left the aluminum smelter.

        “In fact, a 1999 MIT study showed that producing one ton of virgin aluminum generates approximately 10 times more carbon dioxide than the production of a ton of steel. Recycled aluminum by contrast would only utilize 5 percent of the energy that virgin aluminum does.”

Stainless steel production is also extremely resource-intensive, relying on open-pit nickel mining and notoriously toxic iron smelting. The process makes Klean Kanteen’s boasts about wind-powered webhost and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified in-store displays sound hollow.

Original Submission