Aluminium - The Green Metal

A recent survey showed that 89% of post-mining land in Northern Australia was restored to native forest and the remainder to commercial forest, agriculture and pasture.

Approximately 40% of Primary Aluminium (total worldwide production – approximately 40 million tones) is produced using clean, renewable hydro-electric power.

Climate change is a top priority issue for the global Aluminium Industry.

There was a 14% reduction in total direct greenhouse gas emissions from the worldwide production processes of Primary Aluminium between 2000 and 2005, despite a 20% growth in Primary Aluminium production.

Recycling is the ‘cornerstone’ of Aluminium’s Sustainability.

Aluminium recycling reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 95%, compared to Primary Aluminium production.

It only takes 5% of the energy required to produce Primary Aluminium to recycle it.

Aluminium is an ‘energy bank’ – most of the original input can be recovered every time the Aluminium product is recycled.

Aluminium can be recycled to infinity without any loss of quality or properties.

Over 70% of the Aluminium ever produced worldwide is still in use today – 450 million tonnes.

The total life cycle of an Aluminium drinks can in the UK is 6 weeks, using the Aluminium Industry’s ‘closed loop’ recycling system.

43% of UK demand for Aluminium is now met by recycled metal.  The figure for Europe is 39%.

Recycling rates for the major market sectors in the UK are high – 90% for Transport and 95% for Building and Architecture.

The overall recycling rate for Aluminium packaging (drinks cans, foil, foil containers, aerosols etc) is 32.5%, a 17% increase on the 2005 figure.

The recycling rate for Aluminium drinks cans in the UK is 48%.

975,000 tonnes of recycled Aluminium was produced in the UK in 2006, compared to Primary production totaling 360,300 tonnes.

Recycling of Aluminium scrap in UK and Europe saves about 90 million tones of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to the annual emissions from 15 million cars.

One kilogram of Aluminium used in automotive application can eliminate 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of an average vehicle.

100 Kilograms of weight saving in a car allows fuel saving of up to 0.4 litres per 100 kilometres.  Intensive use of aluminium can reduce the weight by 300 kilograms – saving up to 3000 litres of fuel over the car’s lifetime.