Demand for aluminium is expected to grow across Europe during the coming 30 years, but increased use of aluminium recycling has been earmarked as a way to meet half of that demand while saving 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 from the carbon footprint of producing it.
European Aluminium, which represents the aluminium industry across Europe, is also looking to reduce the CO2 generated during primary production of aluminium from its ore, in order to continue to cut the carbon intensity of the metal during rising demand.
The organisation issued a rallying cry to all involved in the aluminium supply chain following the announcement of the European Green Deal by the European Commission on December 11th.
European Aluminium’s director general Gerd Gotz said: “The European aluminium industry wants to drive the deep transformative policies and practices that are needed to realise the carbon-neutral and circular economy in Europe.
“The industry is already delivering on its aim to realise the industry’s greenhouse gas reduction potential set out in our sustainability roadmap.”
Closing the loop on aluminium recycling
With aluminium demand on the increase, the organisation is hoping for a 50/50 split between now and 2050 in terms of meeting that increased demand using 50% recycled aluminium and 50% newly produced aluminium from ore.
On the newly manufactured half, it is also looking to reduce carbon emissions from that production by as much as 70%.
As we move through the coming years and decades, it should become increasingly possible to ‘close the loop’ and use a greater percentage of recycled aluminium, as more of that primary produced metal completes its first life cycle and enters the recycling stream.
That means the potential to cut carbon footprints even further, meet even more demand using recycled aluminium, and move towards phasing out primary production altogether as the 21st century progresses.
New opportunities from aluminium recycling
What all of this means is that if you generate scrap aluminium or other recyclable aluminium waste as part of your business, you could stand to benefit from this rising demand.
By collecting that waste in industrial recycling skips, you can make sure it remains within this circular economy, allowing it to be reprocessed and put to good use to reduce emissions and the need for primary production.
There are financial benefits to doing so – aluminium has several unique properties that mean it cannot easily be substituted using other metals, demand is relatively high already and is only likely to grow in the years to come.
At J Davidson Scrap we are ready to help all of our commercial and industrial customers tap into the growing revenue stream that recycled aluminium therefore represents, both now and in the future.
To find out more about how we can supply industrial recycling skips to your premises or to check on our latest and best prices for scrap aluminium, call us today on Manchester 0161 928 9981 or complete our online contact form for a prompt reply from a member of our team.
