The role of automobiles for the future of aluminum recycling
Abstract
To reach required product qualities with lowest costs, aluminum postconsumer scrap is currently recycled using strategies of downgrading and dilution, due to difficulties in refining. These strategies depend on a continuous and fast growth of the bottom reservoir of the aluminum downgrading cascade, which is formed by secondary castings, mainly used in automotive applications. A dynamic material flow model for the global vehicle system was developed to assess the likelihood, timing, and extent of a potential scrap surplus. The results demonstrate that a continuation of the above-mentioned strategies will lead to a nonrecyclable scrap surplus by around 2018 ± 5 if no additional measures are taken. The surplus could grow to reach a level of 0.4-2 kg/cap/yr in 2050, corresponding to a loss of energy saving potential of 43-240 TWh/yr electricity. Various intervention options for avoiding scrap surplus are discussed. Effective strategies need to include an immediate and rapid penetration of dramatically improved scrap sorting technologies for end-of-life vehicles and other aluminum applications.
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The car fleet contains vehicles of many ages, with an average service life near 16 years, so new technology reaches the fleet average only slowly.
“(i) The vehicle stock is composed of different age-cohorts with an average lifetime of about 16 years, [21][22][23] which means that there is a delay between the latest technology and the fleet average.”
From Global Carbon Benefits of Material Substitution in Passenger Cars until 2050 and the Impact on the Steel and Aluminum Industries (2014) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Modaresi, R., & Müller, D. B.
- Affiliations
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Müller, Daniel B.
- ORCID
- Müller, Daniel B.
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2012-08-08
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 16
- Pages
- 8587-8594
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W2028227748
- Cited by
- 138
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 22.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Extraction and Separation Processes
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Keywords
- aluminum recycling, automotive aluminum, automotive systems, energy saving potential, end-of-life vehicles, aluminum refining
- MeSH terms
- Aluminum, Automobiles, Likelihood Functions, Recycling
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