Technology Transfer

Abstract

Working for the aluminum industry, I am very much aware of how important environmental concerns are to the public and to the advantages which can come to companies which produce products which are environmentally compatible. The recyclability of aluminum is one of the advantages which our industry proudly advertises. Not only does recycling reduce the amount of waste which goes into landfills, but recycling saves about 95 percent of the energy needed to make new aluminum from its original ore. The largest use of aluminum in the United States is for aluminum beverage cans. the recycling rate for aluminum cans exceeds 60 percent. The largest growth market for aluminum in the future is projected to be the automotive industry, where aluminum’s light weight is an advantage to automakers in their efforts to increase fuel efficiency and emissions performance without compromising safety, overall performance, or size. Recycling is important in the automotive market too. Today, over 85 percent of aluminum automotive scrap is reclaimed and recycled.