Aluminium sector highlights emissions benefits of recycling

European Aluminium published a study today (17 November) on the environmental performance of aluminium refining processes used to produce cast alloy aluminium ingots from scrap.

European Aluminium, founded in 1981 and based in Brussels, is a trade association representing the aluminium industry in Europe. It has more than 95 members in 30 countries, including companies such as Novelis.

Emissions from the refining process decreased to 438 g CO₂ equivalent per kg of aluminium ingots in 2018, the study shows.

When including “benefits” related to the recovery of the aluminium oxide from the salt slag recycling process, European Aluminium says, the “environmental impacts” of the refining process can be reduced by a further 10%.

And, the aluminium refining process allows for the recovery and generation of three ‘value-added’ products, European Aluminium’s report suggests, including recycled aluminium, fluxing salt and aluminium oxide. These raw materials are used by various industries, including for aluminium, ceramics, and cement, as well as refractories.

European Aluminium says the life-cycle data used in the report is considered representative of the aluminium industry. It is based mainly on members’ data from 2018 and 2019.

‘Importance’

Gerd Götz, director general of European Aluminium, said: “The findings of our new report highlight the importance of boosting aluminium recycling in Europe.

“Every year, around 1 million tonnes of aluminium scrap are exported outside the EU, which is a huge loss to a European circular economy.

“We call on the EU to incentivise investments across the full recycling value chain and strengthen the legislative framework pertaining to waste shipment.”

Aluminium

European Aluminium says the European aluminium sector had revenue of around €40 billion and provided 1 million direct and indirect jobs in 2020.

The sector recycled 4.3 million tonnes of aluminium in 2020, European Aluminium says, with 51% of the industry’s output coming from recycled sources.

Six per cent of the world’s annual primary aluminium production takes place in Europe, European Aluminium says.

Related link
Environmental profile report for the aluminium refining industry