waste services
Aluminium Foil: What You Need to Know
Aluminium foil is widely used in kitchens, catering and food manufacturing for cooking, wrapping and storage. It’s lightweight, versatile and recyclable – but only when it’s clean and prepared correctly. Unfortunately, due to food contamination or small size, foil is often sent to landfill when it could otherwise be recovered and reused.
Preparing Aluminium Foil for Recycling
To recycle aluminium foil successfully, it must be free from food residue. Wipe or rinse off grease and sauce, then scrunch multiple sheets together into a ball at least the size of your fist. This makes it easier for recycling machinery to detect and process it. Thin, flat scraps on their own are often missed or rejected during sorting.
In commercial kitchens or food production settings, collecting clean foil in a separate bin improves recovery rates. Make sure it’s not mixed with plastic wrap, paper towels or food waste, which can contaminate the load.
Why Aluminium Foil Shouldn’t Go to Waste
Recycling aluminium uses around 95% less energy than producing it from raw materials. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps conserve bauxite – the raw material used to make aluminium. When properly collected and processed, foil can be turned into new products such as cans, trays and automotive components.
For households and businesses alike, disposing of aluminium foil correctly is a simple way to reduce waste and contribute to a circular economy. With a few easy steps, even everyday kitchen foil can be part of the bigger sustainability picture.
Waste management with sustainability in mind
At Resource Environmental Solutions, we can arrange the collection and disposal of all types of waste anywhere in Australia.
Call Centre Office Hours
Monday – Friday (9am – 5pm)