Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Aluminum recycling in a carbon constrained world: Observations and opportunities

  • Feature
  • Recycling
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

With a global population approaching 7 billion, there simply is not enough primary aluminum available to indefinitely meet demand. Developing optimal effectiveness of aluminum recycling is critical to ensuring an adequate aluminum supply for future generations, while also contributing to a more sustainable world. This paper presents a framework for achieving substantial progress that integrates key elements of the aluminum recycling landscape: engineering, communication, public policy, and actionable sustainability strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adam Aston et al, “The Race Against Climate Change.” BusinessWeek — Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice. Bloomberg (12 Dec. 2005), accessed 11 Mar. 2011; www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_50/b3963401.htm.

  2. “Global Warming: Each Country’s Share of CO2 Emissions,” Union of Concerned Scientists (Aug. 2010), accessed Mar. 2011; www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science_and_impacts/science/eachcountrys-share-of-co2.html.

  3. S.K. Das, “Can the Global Aluminium Industry Achieve Carbon Neutrality?” (Presentation at the International Aluminium Conference, Bahrain, September 20–22, 2010), www.phinix.net/images/WebSite-MB-Bahrain.pdf.

  4. S.K. Das et al., JOM, 62(2) (2010), pp. 23–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. John A.S. Green, editor, Aluminum Recycling and Processing (Materials Park, OH: ASM International, 2007), losalamos.asminternational.org/content/ASM/StoreFiles/05217G_Chapter09.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  6. S.K. Das, J.A.S. Green and J.G. Kaufman, Light Metals Age (February 2010), pp. 22–2.

  7. Anne Kvithyld, “Roadmap—From Europe and North America: Workshop on Aluminium Recycling,” Trondheim, Norway, June 13-15, 2010, www.phinix.net/resources/news/roadmap-aluminium-recycling.pdf

  8. U.S. Department of Energy Contract, “Improving Energy Efficiency in Aluminum Melting DE-FC07-01ID14023,” Final Technical Report Improving Energy Efficiency in Aluminum Melting DE-FC07-01ID1402” (March 2007), www.phinix.net/services/Energy_Management/Improving_Energy_Efficiency.pdf.

  9. Kentucky Department of Energy Contract, “Aluminum Melting Furnace Design Optimization to Improve Energy Efficiency by Integrated Modeling,” www.phinix.net/services/Energy_Management/Aluminum_Melting_Furnace.pdf.

  10. Adam Gesing et al., “Advanced Industrial Technologies for Aluminium Scrap Sorting” (Presentation at the Int. Conf. Aluminium-21/Recycling, St. Petersburg, Russia, 12–14 October 2010).

  11. “Facts About Aluminum Cans,” earth911.com/recycling/metal/aluminum-can/facts-about-aluminumrecycling/.

  12. Jennifer Gitlitz, “Trashed Cans: The Global Environmental Impacts of Aluminum Can waste in America” (Culver City, CA: Container Recycling Institute, 2002), www.container-recycling.org; and www.bottlebill.org.

    Google Scholar 

  13. S.K. Das and M. Hughes, JOM, 58(8) (2006), pp. 26–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. F.W. Morgan and M. Hughes, JOM, 58(8) (2006), pp. 32–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. S.K. Das, “Aluminum Recycling Index” (Presentation at ICAA 11, Aachen, Germany, September 25, 2008), www.phinix.net/resources/presentations/Aachen.pdf.

  16. S.K. Das et al., “Development of Alloy Recycling Indices for Aerospace Aluminum Alloys” (Presentation at Aero Mat 2009, Dayton, Ohio, USA, June 9, 2009).

  17. Final Report Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Aluminum Beverage Cans (Washington, D.C.: Aluminum Association, 2010), www.containerrecycling.org/assets/pdfs/aluminum/LCA-2010-AluminumAssoc.pdf.

  18. Global Aluminium Recycling: A Cornerstone of Sustainable Development (London: International Aluminium Institute, 2009), www.world-aluminium.org/cache/fl0000181.pdf.

  19. “What Is a Bottle Bill?” Bottle Bill Resource Guide (11 March 2011), www.bottlebill.org/about/whatis.htm.

  20. Jenna Goodward and Alexia Kelly, “Bottom Line on Offsets” (Washington, D.C.: World Resources Institute, August 2010), accessed 11 March 2011; www.wri.org/publication/bottom-line-offsets.

    Google Scholar 

  21. S.K. Das and J.A.S. Green, JOM, 62(2) (2010), pp. 27–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. S.K. Das and A. Gesing, “Upcoming Carbon Management Legislations: Impacts on and Opportunities for the Global Aluminum Industry” (Presentation at TMS 2010 Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, 17 February 2010), www.phinix.net/resources/presentations/TMS-2010-Carbon-Management-Talk.pdf.

  23. “Recycling” Keep America Beautiful, accessed 11 March 2011; www.kab.org/site/PageServer?pagename=recycling#AL.

  24. S.K. Das et al., Light Metals 2007, ed. Halvor Kvande (Warrendale, PA: TMS, 2007), pp. 1147–1152.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Private conversations by the author with industry experts at several global aluminum conferences.

  26. “Container Deposit Legislation in the United States” (Wikipedia website), en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Container_deposit_legislation_in_the_United_States.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. P.O. Box 11668, Lexington, Kentucky, 40577-1668, USA

    Subodh K. Das

Authors
  1. Subodh K. Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Subodh K. Das.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Das, S.K. Aluminum recycling in a carbon constrained world: Observations and opportunities. JOM 63, 137–140 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-011-0128-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-011-0128-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation