title: 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.
authors: Industrial Ecology Programme (IndEcol), Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), S.P. Andersens veg 5, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
authors: Roja
authors: R
authors: Modaresi
authors: Daniel B
authors: DB
authors: Müller
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum; D001336:Automobiles; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D059027:Recycling
chemical_list: D000535:Aluminum