Europe needs 600,000 tpy of new recycling capacity by 2020 – Norsk Hydro

Europe needs to add 600,000 tpy of aluminium recycling capacity by 2020, Norsk Hydro head of recycling Roland Scharf-Bergmann said.

Speaking at Metal Bulletin’s 21st recycled aluminium conference in Dubai, he said that, as the level of primary aluminium production in Europe falls as a result of the closure of unprofitable smelters, secondary aluminium is becoming a more important supplier of feedstock to aluminium consumers in Europe.

“Primary production in Europe is slowing, and the raw material base for Europe is changing from primary to secondary,” Scharf-Bergmann said. “Already, more products are made from secondary aluminium than from primary in Europe.”

Scrap supply in Europe will have grown by 1 million tpy by 2020, Scharf-Bergmann said, while exports will remain at similar levels as scrap supply in other regions rises as well.

“China’s supply will grow ten times more than in Europe. Imports into China will maintain at today’s levels due to the increase in domestic scrap generation,” Scharf-Bergmann said. “Europe will also limit its scrap exports to cover domestic demand.”

Europe will need to build more recycling capacity to process the expected rise in scrap supply, beyond already announced capacity increases.

“With the announced capacity increases, and closures, Europe needs to add 600,000 tpy of recycling capacity by 2020,” Scharf-Bergmann said.