Aluminium Between Nature and Sustainability

Aluminium is a permanent metal and an ideal material for the circular economy. The low carbon alloys developed by Hydro are an effective alternative to manufacture products and components in a more sustainable way

In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds the general health of the system. This principle must operate at every level: for large and small businesses, for organisations and individuals, globally and locally. A circular economy favours those activities which preserve value in the form of energy, labour and materials. This means designing for durability, reuse, regeneration and recycling of products, components and materials.
One of the main characteristics of aluminium is its infinite recyclability and the substantial energy savings which it implies, in addition to the evolutions, performances and other obvious advantages provided by the material and its applications. A set of values which make the concept of circular economy and preservation of resources evident and intrinsic to aluminium.

What could be more sustainable than an infinitely recyclable metal?

Too many products cannot be recycled because of the way they are made. Recycling metals saves a considerable amount of energy: in the case of aluminium, 95% of the energy needed to produce it from the original mineral, bauxite. By investigating material properties (including environmental footprint) and manufacturing processes, Hydro is helping to create sustainable products intended for recycling or reuse right from the design stage. Producing one ton of secondary aluminium saves six tons of bauxite and nine tons of CO2 emissions. Globally, recycling aluminium saves more than 100 million tons of CO2 each year. For this reason, Hydro is constantly developing low-carbon alloys and now offers two product series using low-carbon materials: CIRCAL and REDUXA. Hydro REDUXA is an alloy obtained from primary aluminium with a low carbon footprint, with a maximum value of 4 kg of CO2 per kg of aluminium. The Hydro 4.0 product line is certified by DNV GL according to ISO 14064, which considers all emissions, from bauxite mining to alumina refining, from aluminium production by electrolysis to alloy smelting.
Hydro CIRCAL is a range of products made from recycled consumer waste. The use of recycled materials significantly reduces energy consumption while offering high quality products. Thanks to the industry’s most advanced sorting technologies, Hydro guarantees one of the highest recycled aluminium contents on the market, as in the case of Hydro CIRCAL 75R, with a minimum recycled aluminium content of 75%. The higher the recycled content, the lower the carbon footprint.