Current status of recycled aluminum supply in our country

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　　Aluminum waste has high recycling value. Aluminum is the most suitable metal for recycling and reprocessing. The recycling rate of aluminum in the automotive industry, construction industry, electronics industry, and packaging industry is very high, ranging from 67% to 92%. It is reported that the recycling rate of aluminum cans in Brazil is as high as 85%. 　　Aluminum waste can be divided into two categories: “new waste” and “old waste”. “\"New waste\", also known as \"process waste\", refers to the waste generated during smelting and processing processes; it is quite common for such waste to be recycled on-site at large smelting and processing plants ； However, independent remelting plants also recycle the scrap and shavings generated during the production of aluminum sheets and extrusions. “\"Old waste\" refers to the waste generated at the end of a product’s useful life and after it is discarded. The amount of such waste depends on the product’s lifespan; for example, aluminum components in cars have a useful life of 12 years, while in the construction industry it is 30 years. The highest recovery rate for the latter is 85%, which is lower than that of the former. “\"Old waste\" is generally processed and remelted in specialized aluminum recycling plants, where most of it is converted into ingots used for manufacturing castings; alloying elements such as silicon, copper, and magnesium are often added ； A portion of it is also converted into aluminum deoxidizers for the steel industry. “\"Old waste\" will continue to increase over the next 10 years and even longer, accounting for about half of the total waste volume at present. 　　The so-called waste aluminum or scrap aluminum refers to the latter type of waste aluminum. Most of them are used to produce recycled aluminum alloys, while a small amount of high-quality waste with a simple composition and low impurity content is also used to melt aluminum alloys with specific compositions. For example, waste 1350 aluminum wires and cables can be used in large quantities to melt 1350 alloy; used aluminum soda cans can be directly melted into 3004 alloy, and waste aluminum doors and windows can be used to melt 6063 alloy. However, in order to precisely adjust the composition, a certain amount of pure aluminum ingots or alloying element additives must be added. 　　Compared to the production of primary aluminum, the production of recycled aluminum offers significant environmental advantages. Producing recycled aluminum from scrap aluminum results in CO2 emissions that are 91% lower than those associated with producing primary aluminum using hydroelectric power, and over 97% lower than those resulting from producing primary aluminum using fuel-powered electricity. Under the same production volume conditions, the capital investment required to build a plant for producing recycled aluminum is only one-tenth of that needed for producing primary aluminum. 　　Currently, about one-fifth of the aluminum waste recycled worldwide comes from the packaging industry, two-fifths from transportation, and one-third from the construction industry. The recycling of aluminum waste from end-of-life vehicles and the recycling of aluminum beverage cans are two important areas. Currently, about 80% of the aluminum alloys produced worldwide are used to manufacture cast and forged parts for automobiles; therefore, trends in automobile production and aluminum consumption directly affect the recycled aluminum industry. It is reported that the highest recovery rate for aluminum waste from end-of-life vehicles has currently reached 95%. Significant progress has also been made in the recycling of used aluminum cans, with an average global recycling rate of over 50%. 　　With the rapid growth in China’s consumption of primary aluminum, the cumulative amount of such aluminum continues to increase. Starting from 1990 alone, by 2004 China had consumed nearly 40 million tons of primary aluminum in total, which indicates that there is huge potential for development in waste recycling in China. 　　Almost all of the aluminum waste produced in China is recycled, making it the country with the highest recycling rate in the world. For anything that can be considered a commodity, there are always people who collect it, sort it, and sell it ； China **has always attached great importance to the recycling, regeneration, and utilization of waste materials, and has established a comprehensive recycling system and network that spans from the central government to local authorities, as well as from cities to rural areas. 　　In 2002, China’s recycled aluminum production exceeded 1.5 million tons. In terms of the regional landscape, aluminum scrap collection centers and recycled aluminum manufacturing bases are all located in coastal areas, such as Dashiqiao City and Dalian City in Liaoning Province, Tianjin City; Dacheng County and the Baoding area in Hebei Province; Zouping County and Linyi City in Shandong Province; Suzhou City and Wuxi City in Jiangsu Province, Shanghai City; Ningbo/Yongkang and Taizhou City in Zhejiang Province; Nanhai City in Guangdong Province; Changge City in Henan Province, and Fuyang City in Anhui Province. The recycled aluminum production of these provinces and cities accounts for about 80% of the country’s total recycled aluminum production. 　　China’s recycled aluminum industry is in a period of structural adjustment, which is expected to be completed around 2010; by then, a number of enterprises capable of producing more than 50,000 tons of recycled aluminum per year will have been established. Before 2010, the average annual growth rate of aluminum waste recycling in China was 6%, while it rose to 8% after 2010, as aluminum products consumed since the 1980s gradually reached the end of their useful life and needed to be replaced.