10.2190/MGHH-NMNW-3FU3-PQWY MGHHNMNW3FU3PQWY 4 Optimal Recycling of Aluminum Beverage Cans: An Empirical Approach 343 353 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 MGHHNMNW3FU3PQWY.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=MGHHNMNW3FU3PQWY 4 Reuben Nwabeze Ogbudinkpa Department of Economics, Norfolk State College <p>Recently, environmentalists have increased pressure for better solid waste disposal for ecological reasons. Consequent to such pressure, government agencies have evoked stricter measures of solid waste disposal. Apart from the ecological basis for better solid waste disposal, economic motives have been nurtured too.</p><p>This paper surveys recycling of aluminum beverage cans as a method of solid waste disposal in the light of the growing importance of beverage cans in solid wastes. It seeks economic justification for recycling which if found will be evoked to complement ecological reasons for better disposal of solid wastes. Only then will the environment be better protected.</p><p>The analysis employs the Simplex Method. It shows that of the three main products from recycling the beverage cans, copper is the most important followed by aluminum and zinc respectively. Recycling is economically justifiable and the largest profit is attained when recycling is for copper and aluminum only.</p> R. B. Wenger and C. R. Rhyner, Evaluation of Alternatives for Solid Waste Systems, <i>Journal of Environmental Systems</i>, p. 90, 1972. R. F. Testin, <i>Recovery of Nonferrous Metals from Solid Wastes</i>, Reynold Metals Company, Richmond, Virginia, pp. 30-31, 1976. L. Pringle, <i>Recycling Resources</i>, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, p. 83, 1974. D. C. Vandermeulen, <i>Linear Economic Theory</i>, Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey, p. 33, 1971. Chilton Company, <i>Iron Age</i>, Chilton Way Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania, p. 64, March, 1977. Chilton Company, <i>Iron Age</i>, Chilton Way Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania, p. 16, October, 1975. C. F. Bourcier, <i>Aluminum Recycling</i>, Reynolds Metal Company, Richmond, Virginia, p. 26, 1975. Chilton Company, <i>Iron Age</i>, Chilton Way Company, Radnor, Pennsylvania, p. 59, March, 1976. Blayden, C. L., <i>Aluminum Recovery With Eddy Currents</i>, Alcoa Center, Aluminum Company of America, Pennsylvania, Alcoa Technical Center Paper presented to Society of Mining Engineers of AIME at AIME Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, p. 25, February 23, 1976. Bourcier, F. G., <i>Aluminum Recycling</i>, Reynolds Metal Company, Richmond, Virginia, Paper presented at the Society of Die Casting Engineer 18th International Die Casting Congress in Detroit, Michigan, p. 40, March 17-20, 1975. Chiang, A. C., <i>Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics</i>, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1965. Chilton Company, <i>Iron Age</i>, Chilton Way, Radnor, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1977. Chilton Company, <i>Iron Age</i>, Chilton Way, Radnor, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1975. Clayton, C. K. and J. M. Huie, <i>Solid Waste Management: The Regional Approach</i>, Ballinger Publishing Company, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1973. Cooper, J. B., Generation, Collection and Merchanting of Scrap, <i>The Recycling and Disposal of Solid Waste</i>, Pergamon Press, New York, 1974. Henstock, M. E., The Economic Potentials of Recycling, <i>The Recycling and Disposal of Solid Waste</i>, Pergamon Press, New York, 1974. Kerbec, M. J., Your Government and the Environment, <i>An Environmental Digest</i>, Output Systems Corporation, Arlington, Virginia, <i>8</i>, 1973-74. Pringle, L., <i>Recycling Resources</i>, Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., New York, 1974. Testin, F. R., <i>Recovery of Nonferrous Metals from Solid Waste</i>, Reynolds Metal Company, Richmond, Virginia, Paper presented at American Institute of Chemical Engineers Symposium on Recycling in Atlantic City, New Jersey, p. 49, August 29-September 1, 1976. Vandermeulen, C. D., <i>Linear Economic Theory</i>, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1971. Wenger, B. R. and R. R. Charles, Evaluation of Alternatives for Solid Waste Systems, <i>Journal of Environmental Systems</i>, Baywood Publishing Company, Inc., New York, June 1972. Woroniak, O. A., New Materials Created from Solid Waste, <i>The Recycling and Disposal of Solid Waste</i>, Pergamon Press, New York, 1974. Zandi, I., Management of Solid Waste Systems, <i>Journal of Environmental Systems</i>, December, 1972.