Aluminium’s trade map is no longer drawn by smelters alone. Scrap flows, power contracts, industrial policy and specialist grades now shape who secures metal, at what cost and under whose rules. Ten recent developments across Europe, the US, Australia, Japan and Mexico show how recycling, energy and regulation are becoming the new levers of aluminium competitiveness. They also show where traders, exporters and policymakers may need to adjust. Scrap tug-of-war: the US pull, Europe’s leak and the recycling base at stake The pull starts with price. The US UBC scrap benchmark averaged USD 2,322.89 a tonne in July, USD 2,491.22 in August and USD 2,602.51 in September. That is a 12 per cent climb, and it came after a July that opened at USD 2,464.98 and fell to USD 2,270.76 within two days....
Nespresso is expanding its aluminium coffee capsule recycling network across New Zealand, adding 25 JB Hi-Fi stores as collection points and bringing the total number of participating retail locations to 138. The move gives coffee drinkers more places to return used capsules, helping make recycling a little easier after that final, satisfying sip. The new collection points join existing locations at Briscoes and Noel Leeming stores. The expansion also complements other return options available through Nespresso, including its boutiques, public collection points, NZ Post drop-off locations and courier collections from customers’ homes. The aim is to make returning used capsules more convenient, recognising that a single collection method will not work for everyone. For those who enjoy...
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THEY might wear blue and yellow on the field but the Mariners have gone green this week, getting behind Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium’s latest environmentally friendly recycling campaign. Stadium manager Monique Marks showed off their newly installed recycling bins to star players Patrick Zwaanswijk and Adam Kwasnik that will be used at the Mariners first home game against Gold Coast United on October 15. The are encouraging fans to “Do The right Thing, Use The Right Bin” and save landfill waste throughout the season. “In the past everything was just thrown into the same bin,” Mrs Marks said. “But having the shape of the bottle at the top shows people what it’s for and has such a high success rate.” Mrs Marks said the initiative would provide away from home recycling opportunities for...
European secondary aluminium prices were stable on Friday even as the economic uncertainty dragged down prices in other markets, as good consumer demand helped maintain volumes. European secondary aluminium prices were stable on Friday even as the economic uncertainty dragged down prices in other markets, as good consumer demand helped maintain volumes. “Demand is still good; this is not like in 2008,” a producer said. “There was a huge hole in consumption in 2008, but that’s not the case now. It’s more a political crisis than an economic one at the moment.
Alcoa and LS-Nikko Copper invest in Electronic Recyclers International to strengthen their sustainability platforms. Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), based in Fresno, Calif., has been the recipient of investments from Pittsburgh-based Alcoa and Seoul, South Korea-based LS-Nikko Copper. The aluminum producer and copper smelting company see a benefit to investing in the electronics recycling company because it will provide them with an "urban mining" resource, according to ERI. In turn, ERI can look to LS-Nikko and Alcoa as reliable homes for the secondary commodities recovered from its electronic scrap recycling facilities, which process some 140 million pounds of obsolete electronics each year. John Shegerian, CEO and chairman of ERI, says he believes urban mining will transform...
There are sufficient quantities of low grade scrap aluminium available in Belgium, whereas high grade scrap materials are more difficult to obtain. Secondary aluminium smelters are fully booked until the end of this year. Secondary ingot prices are more or less stable, because of long delivery terms from smelter side. The total expectation is weak, because of actual LME losses and negative outlook for next year and due to the fact, that lower consumption worldwide is expected.
Americans are getting the message about recycling – in 2010, instead of tossing empty cans in the nearest ordinary trashcan, almost 6 out of every 10 aluminum beverage cans were instead tossed into the nearest recycling bin. This amounts to nearly 56 billion cans entering the recycling stream. Considering that it takes 95 percent less energy to produce a can from recycled material, the amount of energy saved from recycling cans in 2010 is equal to the energy equivalent of 17 million barrels of crude oil, or nearly two days of all U.S. oil imports. “We are pleased the recycling rate has increased from last year—this is a boost for our industry and further evidence that the aluminum beverage can is the best environmental and sustainability packaging option,” says Steve Larkin, president of...
US aluminum scrap exports reversed a two-month slide in July as China’s large appetite and softer US prices vs. other nations helped push deliveries of the light metal to a three-year high. US aluminum scrap exports reversed a two-month slide in July as China’s large appetite and softer US prices vs. other nations helped push deliveries of the light metal to a three-year high. Offshore shipments jumped 9.3 percent to 195,300 short tons from 178,749 tons in June, according to the latest figures.
UK secondary aluminium ingot prices were stable on Wednesday as the nervousness surrounding the debt crises in Europe and the USA pushed the market into a state of inertia. “I’ve had a few conversations with customers this morning and everyone is nervous of what’s around the corner,” a producer said. LM24 pressure diecasting ingot continued to trade at £1,620-1,680 ($2,564-2,659) per tonne.
China Customs released imports and exports data of aluminum scrap in August.In August China imports 200 thousand tons of aluminum scrap, decrease 23.08%, compared with the same period of last year. Comsumption continues weak and the high cost of import are the main reasons for the decline. There are three main reasons: the first one is, with the approaching of dull consumption season and weather turning hotter, there is an obvious decline of manufacture of aluminum alloy in China. The slow down in consumption of aluminum scrap impacts imports directly. The second one is the high price of foreign suppliers, unwilling to export with low price. The last one is the lower profit of Chinese importers, as well as the rise of customs cost,which also are reasons that contribute to the decline. In...
Japan's largest secondary aluminum alloy smelter Daiki Aluminium Industry earlier this month started up its first Indonesian plant, which has the capacity to produce 2,500 mt/month of alloys, a company official said Wednesday. Daiki Aluminium Industry Indonesia began production of secondary aluminum alloy ingot at its West Java plant in the first week of September. Commercial shipments to the local automotive component suppliers are slated for October-December, said Kazushi Goto, managing director of the Overseas Business Coordination Department. Goto said he is considering doubling the plant's capacity at a later date as only half of the land space is currently being used, but he did not indicate any timeframe for the expansion. Separately, Japan's largest automaker Toyota Motor...
Altek Europe Limited who earlier this year were awarded a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade - have purchased new premises with the backing of their banking partners NatWest. Launched in 2007, Altek Europe supports the growth in aluminium recycling around the world. Their products which are manufactured in the UK involve products that reduce energy consumption and promote environmental friendly solutions to help minimise waste. During their first three years of trading their export earnings increased eight fold and today their customers are stretched across the world and include major international conglomerates. Previously the company operated from rented premises and the move to new premises in Chesterfield is testimony to their impressive growth since establishment. It...
Over the past 20 years,the demand for Primary energy associated with secondary aluminum production has been reduced 58 percent. Cumulative greenhouse gas emissions associated with secondary aluminum production have been reduced 65 percent.
According to the China’s newest customs statistics,the amount of imported aluminum scrap in August is 200,000 tons, which is lower than that of July(220,000 tons).
When BMW AG decided to venture into electric powered concept cars, its overall strategy was that it would be done from the ground up — encompassing recyclable materials for use in manufacturing the cars up to tapping on renewable energy to power the plant. To showcase the successful concepts, in late July it unveiled the new BMW i sub-brand cars. The BMW i3 is its first electrically powered production car.BMW i3 is slated to be launched in 2013. For electric cars, weight is an important criterion. Hence, BMW’s plan was to make light-weight carbon-fibre cars a prominent part of electric motoring. BMW also raised the benchmark in terms of recyclable materials and renewable energy. For instance, 80% of the aluminium used is either recycled or produced with renewable energy while 25% of the...
Aluminum scrap imported by Guangdong may decrease and the amount is limited. It is because restrictions on imported aluminum scrap tend to be stricter and examination intensity on domestic consignees are being tightened. The primary condition for importing aluminum scrap is to have verification from the domestic consignee. Besides, green certificate and approval form AQSIQ are also required. However, Guangdong managed loosely with consignee verifications in the past. Many companies import aluminum scrap through third-party intelligence companies. Recently, relevant departments in Guangdong have strengthened the scrutiny towards imported aluminum scrap. It prevents some companies from importing aluminum scrap in large quantities.
Using mathematical models, Norwegian research scientists and Scandinavian industry are working on tailoring alloys which will increase the usefulness of recycled aluminium. The objective of the five-year project is to develop technical production "recipes" which will enable aluminium scrap to re-emerge in the form of high quality consumer products -- everything from foil to window frames. "The results are promising," says Yanjun Li, a project manager at SINTEF.
The first joint seminar ‘From Ashes to Metals’ organised by the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) and the Packaging Group of the European Aluminium Association (EAA) was a success. The seminar gathered a experts and companies active in the sector of treating bottom ashes from Waste-to-Energy plants as a valuable resource for recycled metals and other secondary aggregates. The conclusion of the seminar is that collection of metals from bottom ashes can make an important contribution towards a more resource-efficient Europe. Valuable parts of bottom ash, which is the residue from the combustion of household waste, can be recycled. For example, the remaining ferrous and non-ferrous metals in the waste can be extracted from the bottom ashes and recycled into new...
Recycling aluminum represents a valuable portion of commodities in the U.S. The industry pumped $77 billion into our economy in 2010 and continues to be the most valuable of recyclable materials. Discovered in the 1820s, aluminum is the most abundant metal on earth. The aluminum can is also unique in that in 60 days a can is recycled, turned into a new can and back on the store shelf. While the national recycling rate for aluminum cans is about 58 percent, states with a container deposit law recycle 80 percent or more. A bill to require a 10 cent deposit on beverage containers (including aluminum) was introduced this past legislative session and may be debated next year. The program as written would place a 10 cent deposit on plastic, glass, aluminum and tin beverage containers and may...
A Wisconsin man has been charged with tampering with environmental monitors, then covering it up at a southern Kentucky secondary aluminum production plant. A federal grand jury in Bowling Green on Wednesday charged 59-year-old Daniel Evanoff of Plymouth, Wis., with conspiracy to defraud the United States and rendering inaccurate a required monitoring device. The indictment states that between 2007 and November 2009, Evanoff and other coconspirators agreed to create false records concealing that J.L. French in Glasgow, Ky., exceeded production and air emissions limits. The indictment also states that Evanoff directed others to install a temperature resistor on air pollution control equipment to create a false temperature reading.
