Green Magnets
Can Magnets be re-cycled?
This is a common question we get so here is some good information to know. Magnets are good for the planet. Flexible magnetic sheeting is made from 75% recyclable materials, which are 100% pre-consumer product. Some versions of printable (coated, not laminated) magnet sheet are actually 100% recyclable and can be added back into the manufacturing process to make more magnet sheet. Flexible magnets we produce contain no Phthalates or conflict minerals and can comply with California Proposition 65 (Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986). And magnet fasteners should never lose their force, so they don’t wear out and are usable over and over again, saving space in our landfills.
Magnets used for the recycling Process
Today’s most advanced recycling centers use a single-stream operation system. Once the trucks arrive at the recycling center, they dump their contents onto the floor. Afterwards, the material is pushed into drums which evenly distribute them onto a single conveyor belt.
As the mix of plastic, metal, and glass moves down the line, it passes under an enormous magnet that attracts any items containing iron, including those made from tin or steel. Believe it or not, this typically accounts for only 4% of the recyclable material. These materials are removed from the belt and passed along for further processing.
Magnetism is also used to capture and separate aluminum. A magnetic charge is sent through the aluminum, and when this interacts with the operation’s own magnetic field, the aluminum is guided off the main conveyor belt onto its own in a process called Eddy Current Separation. In some recycling centers, the current will cause the aluminum to levitate as other items, like pieces of plastic, drop off the conveyor belt. From here, the aluminum will continue its journey to be transformed into new goods.
Feel good to know magnets are working for you and helping keep the world a greener place to live.