The EPD is based on an independent third-party study and provides full transparency of the mixture of scrap qualities used to make recycled foundry alloy (RFA) at Alumetal’s plants. The declaration reflects Alumetal’s commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of aluminium products while delivering high-quality alloys, primarily for the automotive sector.
"By applying industry leading practices, Alumetal is able to turn trash into treasure. The product declaration not only validates Hydro's and Alumetal’s commitment to drive sustainability and responsibility in the aluminium industry, but also provides our customers and partners with exact knowledge of the environmental impact of their supply chain,” says Hanne Simensen, Executive Vice President in Hydro Aluminium Metal.
Aluminium recycling requires only five percent of the energy used to produce primary metal in a smelter. Recycling more post-consumer scrap is vital to accelerate emission cuts, with transparency about the origins of the metal becoming increasingly important due to growing consumer awareness and regulatory demand.
“Our customers are becoming more and more conscious about where and how materials are produced. The completion of this EPD marks an important step as it gives a clear picture of the environmental impact and carbon footprint of our aluminium products. We are proud to provide our customers with the data they need to make informed choices, which ultimately will help them reach their sustainability goals,” says Agnieszka Drzyżdżyk, CEO of Alumetal.
Distinguishing between scrap categories is key to avoid greenwashing
Unlike pre-consumer scrap originating from aluminium production processes, post-consumer scrap comes with a carbon footprint close to zero since emissions have already been accounted for. The use of the by-product allocation method is what sets Alumetal’s EPD apart. By accurately distinguishing between pre and post-consumer scrap, the environmental benefits of using PCS are properly addressed. Alumetal has been pioneering recycling of challenging post-consumer aluminium scrap to prevent a valuable resource from ending up in landfills.
“All aluminium can be recycled, but that doesn’t mean all aluminium is equal. Alumetal is key in our efforts to source more post-consumer scrap and develop advanced sorting technologies to allow an increased amount of used aluminium to be given a new life. With the Environmental Product Declaration, Alumetal’s customers will now know exactly what they get and avoid the risk of greenwashing,” says Simensen.
With the acquisition of Alumetal, Hydro significantly strengthened its aluminium recycling position in Europe and widened its product offering in the low-carbon and scrap based foundry alloy market. Alumetal’s four recycling plants, three in Poland and one in Hungary, have a total capacity of 280,000 tonnes per year and primarily serves the automotive sector.
Alumetal’s plants use up to 94 percent recycled materials in the production of foundry alloys. This includes more than 50 percent post-consumer scrap, over 35 percent pre-consumer scrap, and a small portion of alloying materials. The result for Alumetal’s recycled foundry alloy products is an average carbon footprint of 2.44 kg CO2e per kilo aluminium, less than one sixth of the global average in primary aluminium production, with most emissions coming from the upstream production of materials.
When recycling post-consumer aluminium scrap from old window frames, car parts or any other consumer product, the material starts another life with a carbon footprint close to zero since the emissions have already been accounted for. Recycled aluminium made from production scrap, or pre-consumer scrap, is different. It has not yet completed its life cycle and therefore retains the carbon footprint of its original production process. This is why recycling post-consumer scrap is one of the main pathways to decarbonize the aluminium industry.
Published: November 4, 2024
