Decarbonisation Technology - May 2024 Issue

European aluminium supply

with a minimum of 75% recycled post- consumer scrap, making it an environmentally conscious choice for customers seeking sustainable aluminium solutions. Over the last five years, Optima, a provider of internal partition systems for commercial and public buildings, has made sustainability a core value of its business and has implemented several initiatives to reduce its environmental impact and enhance its social The European Aluminium supply amounted to 13,665 Kt in 2022, with 54% imported primary aluminium. European primary aluminium production emitted much lower emissions, with 6.8 kg CO2 per kilogram of aluminium compared with the global average of 16.1 kg. Aluminium can be recycled endlessly, with no downgrading of quality. The aluminium recycling process requires about 5% of the energy used to produce primary aluminium. Recycled aluminium formed 37% of European supply in 2022. The recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans averaged 76% in Europe, with leading countries approaching 100%. A 75% recycling rate represents CO 2 savings of 4.7 million tonnes per year (European Aluminium, 2024).

EU r ecycled 37 %

Primary imports 54%

EU p rimary production 9%

European aluminium supply share 2022 Source: European Aluminium, 2024

grade developed by Hydro, known for its excellent sustainability and high recycled content. This grade is widely used in the production of extruded and rolled products, catering to various industries such as construction, transportation, and packaging. Hydro Circal 75R underscores the company’s dedication to circular economy principles as it is manufactured

responsibility. One of the most significant changes has been transitioning from aluminium with a carbon footprint of 7 kgCO 2 e per kilogram to Hydro Circal 75R, which has a footprint of just 1.9 kgCO2 e per kilogram, the lowest emission aluminium available on the market.

Benefits of low- carbon aluminium

Low-carbon aluminium is produced from recycled post-consumer scrap, saving energy and

Figure 4 Recycled aluminium can be used to produce new products

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