The Age of Aluminum

Based on his own book Dirty Little Secret: The Aluminum Files, author and filmmaker Bert Ehgartner's The Age of Aluminum explores the so-called “dark side” of the titular ubiquitous metal, which humans have only been aware of for less than 200 years. Aluminum—the third most common element in the earth's crust (after oxygen and silicon)—is difficult to mine and smelt, demanding extraordinary amounts of energy. As the narration dryly says of a smelting operation in Brazil, extracting bauxite—the ore that is the leading source of aluminum—is easy: “you just have to remove the forest.” Ehgartner acknowledges aluminum's important role in manufacturing, but also points out the downsides of our reliance on this strong and lightweight material—namely, as a neurotoxin implicated in medical conditions including allergies, cancer, and dementia. Viewers learn that the caustic soda required for the extraction process poses a dire threat to ecosystems, animals, and people, while the “red mud”—created as a byproduct—builds growing mountains of dangerous waste around smelting plants. Scientists and researchers offer their views here, as do individuals who contribute personal stories. Ehgartner also includes comments from industry representatives who, not surprisingly, defend their product. In a short digression, the film also explains that burning aluminum was what caused the Twin Towers to “explode” on 9/11, generating countless conspiracy theories. Presented in both a full-length version and a 52-minute abridged edition, The Age of Aluminum offers an eye-opening perspective on an element that—in its many forms—has become a part of everyday life. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Gardner)