Sustainability

Energy and GHG emissions

Since 1990, the aluminium industry in Europe has reduced its CO₂ emissions by more than 50% and PFCs emissions by 90%. The goal is to further reduce industrial energy consumption by 10% per tonne of aluminium produced or transformed. Energy efficiency is a driver of competitiveness in our sector, as electricity accounts for up to 40% of the costs of primary smelters in Europe. As base-load consumers, aluminium smelters assist the balancing of the grid and the use of renewable energy sources.

Responsible materials and sourcing

Aluminium producers are committed to source raw materials responsibly, from an environmental, economic and social perspective, promoting traceability best practices. Aluminium is produced out of a mineral ore, bauxite. 90% of the world’s bauxite reserves are concentrated in tropical and sub-tropical regions, therefor our industry imports into Europe key raw materials for the primary and downstream segments. It contributes directly to improve the available sourcing and traceability standards – through the direct involvement of some our members in the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative and the International Council of Mining and Metals - and will develop core criteria for sustainable raw materials sourcing which will apply to the whole sector.

Recycling

Aluminium is infinitely recyclable. Irrespective of how many times it is reprocessed and re-used, it remains fundamentally unchanged. Recycling aluminium uses only 5% of the energy needed for primary production. Greater recycling also reduces energy consumption and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. This makes aluminium an essential component of a Circular Economy. As part of the European Commission’s new Circular Economy strategy our industry is committed to assisting in the phasing out of landfilling of recyclable waste. We are developing market-specific recycling action plans, starting with the packaging, automotive and buildings sectors.

Social aspects

The European aluminium industry is committed to being a progressive and inclusive industry. The health and safety of our workers are our members’ top priority and the industry is continuously striving to eliminate industrial accidents. Ongoing investments in safety, prevention and training programmes delivered a 79% reduction in Total Recordable Incident* rate.