Reusing Steel and Aluminum Components at End of Product Life
Abstract
Reusing steel and aluminum components would reduce the need for new production, possibly creating significant savings in carbon emissions. Currently, there is no clearly defined set of strategies or barriers to enable assessment of appropriate component reuse; neither is it possible to predict future levels of reuse. This work presents a global assessment of the potential for reusing steel and aluminum components. A combination of top-down and bottom-up analyses is used to allocate the final destinations of current global steel and aluminum production to product types. A substantial catalogue has been compiled for these products characterizing key features of steel and aluminum components including design specifications, requirements in use, and current reuse patterns. To estimate the fraction of end-of-life metal components that could be reused for each product, the catalogue formed the basis of a set of semistructured interviews with industrial experts. The results suggest that approximately 30% of steel and aluminum used in current products could be reused. Barriers against reuse are examined, prompting recommendations for redesign that would facilitate future reuse.
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Cooper and Allwood (2012) suggest that 50% of cold formed sections could be reused, implying potential for significant growth in reuse rates if barriers to structural steel reuse can be overcome.
“Cooper and Allwood (2012) suggest that 50% of cold formed sections could be reused, implying potential for significant growth in reuse rates if barriers to structural steel reuse can be overcome.”
From Understanding and overcoming the barriers to structural steel reuse, a UK perspective (2017) · cites this paper as Cooper and Allwood (2012)
The reuse of energy-intensive building components could result in substantial savings of energy.
“The reuse of energy-intensive building components could result in substantial savings of energy [85,86].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [86]
Concrete reinforcement bars have a low potential for reuse, but the use of modular constructions opens new opportunities.
“By contrast, concrete reinforcement bars have a low potential for reuse [86], but the use of modular constructions opens new opportunities [91].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [86]
Cooper and Allwood estimate a total reuse potential of 27% for metal products, with structural steel and cladding from buildings being the largest two sources.
“Cooper and Allwood estimate a total reuse potential of 27% for metal products, with structural steel and cladding from buildings being the largest two sources.”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [86]
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- Authors
- Cooper, D. R., & Allwood, J. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Allwood, Julian M.
- Venue
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2012-08-27
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 18
- Pages
- 10334-10340
- ISSN
- 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
- 1520-5851
- OpenAlex
- W1974616936
- Cited by
- 118
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 10.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Cambridge University Engineering Department Publications Database (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G007217/1)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Sustainable Supply Chain Management
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Waste Management and Disposal › Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Keywords
- component reuse, steel, aluminum, end-of-life products, metal recycling, carbon emission reduction, product redesign, product life cycle assessment
- MeSH terms
- Aluminum, Conservation of Natural Resources, Manufactured Materials, Steel
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