First of all, and this is very important to ALL research projects, you need to go to the library - your school and then the local public library, any college libraries around would also be helpful. Look in general encyclopedias like Encyclopedia Britannica or science ones like the McGraw Hill encyclopedia of science and technology there are others under Tin. You will find lots of information on uses, processing, even something about recycling. The articles will also give you references you may want to consult. After that, go to the card catalog and look under Tin. Some useful subject headings would be Tin-environmental aspects, Tin-recycling, even Tin cans-recycling. You may find more of this at the public library than in your school library.

Next, talk to the librarian and tell her what you are doing. Ask her if the library has access to any electronic databases, for example, DIALOG. To access these you need to have an account set up, or some are available on CD. Many schools have them in one form or another. The public library have access to some databases. Ones that would help you are Expanded Academic Index. Business databases for production figures, environmental databases for recycling information. There is a metals database call Metadex. Production figures are usually found in government reports. Ask if you have access to any government databases.

You can try the open web, but this is not going to be your best resource. There is an annual facts and figures article in Chemical & engineering news that is on the web.