Recycling organically contaminated aluminum scrap and decarbonization concepts

In recent years, the global demand for aluminum and its production has risen steadily. 1.2 million tons of aluminum were produced in Germany in 2019, with approx. 53% scrap being used in the process [3]. Products with a short lifespan (production waste, single-use products) account for a considerable proportion of scrap. A fundamental problem encountered when recycling (remelting) aluminum scrap is metal loss. Therefore, an increase in aluminum yield of 1% through more efficient recycling processes corresponds to €10 million per annum at a price of about €1,600/t for secondary aluminum production in Germany.