aluminium expo
03-05 July 2024
Shanghai New International Expo Center

aluminium profile exhibition | The development of recycled aluminum has reached a new level

Recycled aluminum, also known as 'secondary aluminum,' is aluminum obtained through the melting of scrap aluminum parts and aluminum scrap. Its carbon emissions are only about 2% of primary aluminum, making it a major player in reducing carbon emissions in the non-ferrous metal industry. Promoting recycled aluminum has become an important path for the low-carbon transformation of the aluminum industry in China and even globally. According to data from the aluminium profile exhibition, in the first half of this year, China's production of recycled aluminum reached 4.65 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 9.4%.

In recent years, thanks to its advantages of low carbon emissions and low cost, recycled aluminum has received high attention from the country. The Action Plan for Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions by 2030 emphasizes the acceleration of the development of the recycled non-ferrous metal industry, improving the recycling, sorting, and processing networks for discarded non-ferrous metal resources, and the increase in recycled non-ferrous metal production. The Implementation Plan for Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Non-Ferrous Metal Industry highlights the goal of reaching 11.5 million tons of recycled aluminum by 2025.

With the continuous strengthening of technological innovation, the application scenarios for recycled aluminum materials are expanding. In the construction field, recycled aluminum can be used in building facades, power lines, transportation vehicles, bridges, and other structural elements, offering advantages such as lightweight, high strength, ease of processing, and long lifespan. In the packaging industry, recycled aluminum materials can be used to manufacture beverage cans, food containers, and more, offering benefits like moisture resistance, corrosion resistance, and preservation. In the electronics industry, recycled aluminum materials can be used to produce outer casings for electronic products, heat sinks, and other components, offering advantages such as good conductivity, corrosion resistance, and ease of processing. As new energy vehicles rapidly develop and the trend towards vehicle lightweighting deepens, recycled aluminum materials play a significant role, appearing in components such as vehicle bodies, engines, and wheel hubs.

Against the backdrop of 'carbon neutrality,' the degree and penetration of vehicle electrification are gradually increasing, which will drive the use of lightweight aluminum materials in vehicles. Additionally, aluminum alloys are highly corrosion-resistant, can be recycled repeatedly, and have strong recyclability. Recycled aluminum has emerged as a key material in the current development of green and low-carbon vehicle lightweighting.