The 95% Energy Rule: Why Every Recycled Can is a Battery in Disguise

Have you ever looked at a simple aluminum beer can and seen a battery? Probably not. But in the world of sustainability, that’s exactly what it is.

When an aluminum can is manufactured for the first time, it requires a massive “investment” of energy to extract raw bauxite ore from the earth and smelt it into metal. However, once that energy is spent, it isn’t lost—it’s stored within the metal itself.

This leads us to the most powerful statistic in the recycling world: The 95% Energy Rule.

The Environmental Impact: How Recycling Aluminum Saves 95% More Energy

Recycling aluminum is so efficient that it requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce brand-new metal. By recycling just one single can, you save enough electricity to:

• Power a television for 3 hours.
• Run a laptop for a full workday.
• Keep a 100-watt lightbulb burning for nearly 4 hours.

If you recycle a 6-pack, you’ve saved enough energy to drive a car for five miles. When we do this at scale across New York, we aren’t just managing waste—we are reclaiming a massive “energy bank” that would otherwise be buried in a landfill.

The 60-Day “Closed Loop”

Aluminum is one of the few materials that is infinitely recyclable. Unlike plastic, which degrades every time it’s processed, aluminum can be melted down and reborn forever without losing its strength or quality.

In fact, the process is so fast that the can you finish today can be melted, rolled, printed, and back on a store shelf as a fresh new beverage in as little as 60 days. It is the ultimate example of a “circular economy” in action.

Why “Manual” Redemption Matters

You might think throwing your cans in the blue bin is enough, but “single-stream” recycling (where paper, plastic, and metal are mixed) often leads to contamination. When cans are crushed or mixed with broken glass, they are harder to sort and sometimes end up in the trash anyway.

This is where Unlimited Redemption comes in.

Unlimited Redemption: Your Local Energy Hub

At Unlimited Redemption, located inside all 11 Beer Universe locations, we make sure your “batteries” get back into the grid. By bringing your empties directly to us, you ensure a “clean stream” of recycling that goes straight back into production.

Whether you are in Albany, Troy, Schenectady, or Kingston, you can drop off your bags and get your 5 cents back instantly. It’s the fastest, most rewarding way to keep New York green and ensure that every can lives its next life.

Can’t Make it to the Store? We’ll Pick Up the Power

We know life gets busy. Sometimes those “aluminum batteries” pile up in the garage or the breakroom faster than you can haul them away. If you’re sitting on a massive stockpile of energy but don’t have the time to visit one of our 11 locations, Unlimited Redemption comes to you.

Our Professional Pickup Service is designed for high-volume residential recyclers and local businesses who want to do the right thing without the heavy lifting. We handle the transport and the processing, ensuring your empties are funneled directly back into the 95% energy-saving loop.

Whether you’re managing a busy office in Albany or a restaurant in Troy, let us handle the logistics. You save the energy; we’ll handle the drive.

Simple. Sustainable. Rewarding. Stop by your nearest Unlimited Redemption center today and turn your empties into your next round!