Europe’s aluminium scrap exports to the US have risen by 243 per cent, highlighting a growing concern over the continent’s access to strategic raw materials as it pursues recycling, decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness. Evangelos Mytilineos, Executive Chairman of METLEN, raised the issue, linking scrap outflows to the broader challenges facing European industry, energy security and strategic autonomy. Aluminium scrap outflows raise industrial concerns Mytilineos referred to the contrasting US tariff treatment of aluminium products, i.e., a 50 per cent tariff on primary aluminium, compared with zero tariff on scrap . With European aluminium scrap exports to the US increasing by 243 per cent, he questioned whether Europe could strengthen its industrial base while allowing valuable...
The US aluminium used beverage can (UBC) scrap price benchmark tracked by Argus recorded a mixed performance over the third quarter of 2026, declining in July before rising in August and September. The monthly average increased from USD 2,322.89 per tonne in July to USD 2,491.22 per tonne in August and USD 2,602.51 per tonne in September, indicating a sustained recovery in the benchmark over the three months. July: Prices decline despite a high opening The benchmark began July at USD 2,464.98 per tonne on July 1, before falling sharply to USD 2,270.76 per tonne on July 3. The price remained at that level on July 2 and July 6, the lowest recorded price for the month. It subsequently recovered gradually, reaching USD 2,319.86 per tonne on July 10 and USD 2,328.63 per tonne on July 22....
Grow with
AL Circle
BigMint's latest assessment indicated a slight decline in spot prices for aluminium ADC12 alloy ingots in Delhi NCR, now at INR 215,000 per tonne, week-on-week. Additionally, tense scrap prices fell by INR 3,000 per tonne to INR 185,000 per tonne ex-Delhi, with the scrap-to-ADC12 spread recorded at INR 29,000-30,000 per tonne. In Chennai, tense scrap is priced at approximately INR 186,000 per tonne. Meanwhile, spot prices for ADC12 alloy ingots range between INR 216,000 and INR 217,000 per tonne ex-works, excluding GST. The price difference between tense scrap and ADC12 in Chennai stands at INR 30,000 per tonne. Additionally, 3-Month LME aluminium prices have decreased by 4 per cent week-on-week to approximately $2,522 per tonne at the time of the latest report. According to BigMint's...
In collaboration with Wema Bank, the pioneer of Africa's first fully digital bank, TLG Capital, a private investment firm, has reportedly confirmed a structured private credit facility worth $10 million for one of the largest aluminium recyclers in Nigeria. According to TLG Capital, this investment will build Nigeria's most significant and first industrial-scale aluminium recycling facility. However, the identity of the fund's recipient is not being disclosed by TLG. The recycling facility, once operational, is poised to make a significant environmental impact. It is projected to reduce the carbon footprint over the next five years, equivalent to removing 100,000 passenger vehicles off the road. In comparison to solar PV energy in the region, this initiative is expected to deliver twelve...
The year-end statistics of 2023, as reported by the United States Census Bureau and the US Geological Survey, revealed a significant strategic shift in the non-ferrous scrap export market, particularly aluminium, with a notable increase in buyers from China. Through 2023, the United States exported 33.6 per cent of its aluminium scrap production. Domestic furnaces melted 4.06 million tonnes of scrap, of which 2.06 million tonnes were sent by sea container or crossed the border to Canada or Mexico. Of the 2.06 million tonnes of scrap exported, China (including Hong Kong) received 212,000 tonnes, which accounted for 10 per cent of the exports. This figure equates to about 3.5 per cent of aluminium scrap collected in the US last year. The above data also demonstrates that China's aluminium...
The aluminium industry is intensifying its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and recycling metal can revolutionise the market. According to the Managing Director of industry consulting firm Harbor Aluminum, the world is set to add 22 million tonnes of aluminium capacity from scrap over the next five years. Notably, China will spearhead this expansion, with projects expected to contribute approximately 15 million tonnes of new secondary capacity within the same timeframe. This surge underscores a significant shift towards sustainable practices in the aluminium sector, highlighting the critical role of recycled materials in meeting future demands while mitigating environmental impact. On June 5, 2024, the Managing Director said at North America’s largest aluminium conference, “Scrap is...
To position as a top aluminium recycler in Europe, Speira is increasingly investing in building new or expanding existing recycling capacities. According to a recent report, the European company is investing 40 million euros for an additional recycling capacity and revamping the Rheinwerk plant to enable it to save up to 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year at the site. Concerning the project, Boris Kurth, Head of the can business at Speira as well as the recycling and foundry operations at the Rheinwerk, said: "We want to become the number 1 in aluminium recycling in Europe. Over the past 20 years, we have already built furnaces with leading recycling capacity in Europe and Europe's most modern sorting plant for UBC scrap, substituting the highly energy-intensive primary production of...
A new study by Reloop and Eunomia Research and Consulting has revealed that Austria is the world's top country for recycling materials like aluminium, steel, plastic and others. In the UK, Wales ranks 2nd globally, while Northern Ireland, England, and Scotland are ranked 9th, 11th, and 15th, respectively, among the 48 countries assessed. Image Source - Eunomia Global Recycling League Table – Phase One Report The report , 'Global Recycling League Table—Phase One Report,' examines the recycling performance of countries with the highest reported recycling rates and many of the world's largest economies. It also includes lower-income countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa to highlight global disparities in recycling practices. Published in celebration of World Environment Day, the...
To celebrate the occasion of World Environment Day, a giant polar bear installation crafted entirely from recycled aluminium cans was witnessed at Bristol's city centre. This magnificent creation, dubbed PixelCan, is the brainchild of Every Can Counts, a prominent recycling non-profit organization. Comprising 2,000 cans, this artwork serves as a poignant reminder of the plight of endangered and vulnerable species due to ecosystem degradation. At the heart of Every Can Counts' initiative are its passionate ambassadors. These dedicated individuals, embodying the program's core mission, were present at the promenade. They warmly invited the public to join in the effort of recycling their empty cans on the go, making a significant difference in the recycling process. Importance of recycling...
Hydro, the Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, is set to invest EUR 14.8 million in upgrading the recycling facilities at its extrusion plant located in Atessa, Italy. This substantial investment aims to facilitate the production of Hydro CIRCAL recycled aluminium. About the project The upgrade project in Atessa will significantly enhance the plant's recycling capacity, increasing it from 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes annually. Notably, 20,000 tonnes of this capacity will be dedicated to producing low-carbon aluminium derived from 75 per cent recycled post-consumer scrap. The allocated funds will primarily go towards acquiring state-of-the-art recycling equipment. This includes a de-lacquering line, an additional furnace, and various facility upgrades. This strategic investment...
ABx Group has made a significant breakthrough with its 83 percent-owned subsidiary, ALCORE. Recent independent analyses of samples from the latest runs of ALCORE's bath pilot batch reactor have confirmed the highest fluorine recoveries to date. The reactor, which is part of the ALCORE Technology Centre on the NSW Central Coast, is designed to extract fluorine from an 'excess bath,' a byproduct of aluminium smelting, to produce hydrogen fluoride . This advancement marks a notable achievement in recovering and repurposing industrial waste, underscoring ABx Group's commitment to innovative and sustainable technologies. Since commissioning the bath pilot batch reactor in October 2023, ALCORE has conducted numerous test runs, each involving around 10kg of bath and sulfuric acid. These tests...
An innovative robotic arm optimises operations and increases recycling at Veolia's Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF). As part of Veolia Southwark IWMF's aluminium recycling process, the robot removes paper , card, mixed plastics, and beverage cartons, which often contain some aluminium layers, for effective recycling. Using AI and innovation to accelerate ecological transformation, Veolia will use this data in its new strategy, GreenUP, to make informed decisions that maximise the facility's efficiency and monitor seasonal waste composition changes. The robotic solution comprises a camera, a 6-axis robotic arm , a pneumatics system, and a compute box. Using compressed air and a silicon gripper, the robot picks the item, twists it to face the correct sorting bin...
Later this week, on June 6, Martin Hyde, Sustainability & Public Affairs Manager at Alupro, will discuss the critical role of policy in advancing a sustainable future for UK aluminium at the 2024 ALFED EnvironmentAl Sustainability Strategy Day. The event, to be held at the prestigious BMA House in central London, will bring together hundreds of delegates from across the UK aluminium supply chain. This unique gathering will provide unparalleled networking opportunities, engaging workshops, technology showcases, and keynote presentations from some of the sector's most esteemed thought leaders. "The ALFED EnvironmentAl Sustainability Strategy Day is a great opportunity to connect with peers from across the aluminium supply chain and discuss best practice approaches to support the industry's...
BigMint's assessment indicates a marginal gain of INR 1,000 per tonne for spot prices of aluminium ADC12 alloy ingots, reaching INR 216,000 per tonne week-over-week. Tense scrap prices stood at INR 188,000 per tonne ex-Delhi, reflecting a weekly increase of INR 1,000 per tonne. The scrap-to-ADC12 spread is recorded at INR 28,000-29,000 per tonne. Tense scrap prices in Chennai Market sources indicated that tense scrap offers in Chennai are around INR 188,000 per tonne, with spot prices of ADC12 in Chennai ranging between INR 218,000 and INR 220,000 per tonne ex-works on immediate terms, excluding GST. The spot prices for automobile equivalent manufacturers matched those of a major automaker, at INR 221,000-223,000 per tonne ex-Delhi. Despite stable Tense prices in the northern region,...
Did you know that over 100 billion-plus aluminium cans are expected to be recycled every year? This indicates that a billion tonnes of recycled aluminium are still in use today! As per Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and Scrap University Kids, a whopping 1.3 million empty aluminium beverage cans were collected during the first Million Cans Recycling contest. With the world moving rapidly towards reducing emissions to save the environment from further degradation, aluminium as a metal has proven to be better than the rest when it comes to being environmentally friendly . This competition, aimed at second—and third-grade students, took place from October 15, 2023, to May 16, 2024, challenging schools to recycle the most aluminium beverage cans . "The Million Cans Recycling Contest...
In a recent development, Mercedes-Benz has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with TSR Recycling GmbH & Co. KG, signalling a significant stride towards bolstering its circularity strategy concerning end-of-life vehicles, as reported by GlobalData. This strategic partnership underscores Mercedes-Benz's commitment to sustainability and marks a pivotal step in its efforts to enhance recycling and reusability practices within the automotive industry. This MoU centres around the extraction of secondary materials via the concept of "urban mining." Through this pilot initiative, Mercedes-Benz anticipates delving into the European landscape to uncover the untapped potential of post-consumer materials, specifically focusing on aluminium , steel, polymers, copper, and glass....
In April 2024, India's imports of aluminium scrap continued their upward trajectory, growing by 5 per cent from the previous month, according to provisional data from BigMint. This followed a notable 18 per cent surge in March. However, compared to last year's corresponding period, import volumes declined marginally by 4 per cent. April 2024 witnessed a total import of 135,816 tonnes of aluminium scrap, reflecting a modest improvement from the preceding month's 128,861 tonnes. Nevertheless, this figure fell short of April 2023's import volume of 141,894 tonnes. Market dynamics Despite the slight uptick in aluminium scrap arrivals in India during March and April, the volumes remained subdued compared to last year's corresponding period (CPLY). The primary factor behind this deceleration in...
The aluminium industry has actively sought strategies and technologies to establish a closed-loop supply chain model. Aluminium smelters worldwide are committing significant efforts to minimise and recycle aluminium dross to fulfil their sustainability and environmental objectives. In the past few years, technological advancements in aluminium dross processing have greatly assisted companies in attaining these objectives. As a result, the proportion of dross sent to the landfill has recently reduced significantly. When aluminium reaches its molten state, oxidation occurs on the surface, forming a dross resembling a “skin-like” layer. This dross is then skimmed off the top surface, leaving behind the pure metal. Dross is predominantly generated in primary aluminium smelters, recycling...
In February 2024, there was a notable shift in the export dynamics of US aluminium scrap, according to the United States Geological Survey. Previously, India held the position of second-highest export destination until January 2024. But subsequently, Thailand emerged as the second top importer of US aluminium scrap, following Malaysia. As per the data revealed by the US Geological Survey, Thailand's aluminium scrap imports from the US exceeded India's by 4,800 tonnes in February 2024. Thailand's aluminium scrap import volume in the said month was 25,700 tonnes, while that of India was 20,900 tonnes. Thailand's imports grew by 6,400 tonnes or 33.16 per cent month-on-month from 19,300 tonnes and increased year-on-year by 7,600 tonnes or 41.99 per cent from 18,100 tonnes. In contrast,...
The aluminium packaging recycling rate in the United Kingdom (UK) hit an impressive 68 per cent in 2023, according to the National Packaging Waste Database published by the Environment Agency. This record-breaking effort saw 162,357 tonnes recycled nationwide, including more than four in five beverage cans (81 per cent). Despite the rapidly growing domestic market, the amount of aluminium packaging collected through kerbside, bring, and on-the-go systems increased by 13 per cent year-on-year, with 115,382 tonnes collected in 2023 compared to 102,195 tonnes in 2022. Additionally, the cargo recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) rose by 17 per cent, reaching 45,632 tonnes, up from 38,982 tonnes the previous year. As per AL Circle’s new industry-focus report - “Global ALuminium Industry...
