Aluminium Recycling Could Gain From Green Pressure
Date: 01-Mar-07
Country: GERMANY
Author: Anna Stablum
With more focus on climate change and the negative effects from greenhouse gas emissions there is a growing global consensus to save energy and natural resources, an executive at the world's largest aluminium producer Alcoa Europe said.
"Recycling is vital for the aluminium industry... and vital for the protection of the environment," life cycle and environmental sustainability manager Kenneth Martchek told the conference, organised by the Organisation of European Aluminium Refiners and Remelters (OEA).
Aluminium recycling uses only five percent of the total energy used when producing the metal from the primary resource, bauxite.
Secretary general of the OEA Gunter Kirchner said aluminium recycling benefits present and future generations by conserving energy and other natural resources, reflecting the general trend of sustainable development.
"Aluminium recycling helps to reduce emissions significantly," Kirchner said, noting that aluminium can be recycled over and over again without a loss of properties.
Alcoa's Martchek said 28 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) was avoided in Europe in 2006 due to recycling.
"Worldwide aluminium recycling avoids the emission of over 65 million tonnes of GHG emissions each year," he said.
SAVING RESOURCES
With Asia and Africa eager to develop industry it will become even more important to save the global natural resources for future generations, Martchek said.
"I think we will see an increase in demand from the car industry in the future," commercial director Ashley Brough at Kingsilver Refinery in the United Kingdom said.
Aluminium's lighter properties in contrast to steel are seen as favourable in the car industry as consumers are more and more concerned about fuel efficiency, Brough said.
But political incentives were important for the future of the industry and its market share, director Maarten Labberton at the European Aluminium Association said.
"In Germany the politicians discriminate against the aluminium can with a 25 (euro) cents deposit," Labberton said.
In contrast, the buyer of a glass bottle pays only 8 cents and even if the consumer gets the deposit back it is a large initial cost that makes the aluminium can less attractive.
"If you have to pay up front 25 or 8 cents the choice is easily made - especially here in Germany where beer is cheap."
Aluminium packaging accounts for about 18 percent of its end-use markets in Europe and Labberton said there was room for an increase of aluminium's market share in the beverage market.
"We drink one can a week but in the US they drink one can a day," he said.
There was no direct link between consumption rates and collection rates.
The overall European recycling rate of aluminium beverage cans reached in 2005 a record level of 52 percent with several countries meeting even higher targets of 80-90 percent.
In Europe, the collection rate of aluminium from the automotive industry is around 95 percent and it is even higher in the construction sector at some 92-98 percent.