The ‘Aluminum: The Element of Sustainability,’ report finds that, since 1991 energy demand associated with primary aluminium production has been reduced 17% and energy demand associated with secondary production has been reduced 58%.
Also, greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary production have been reduced 72% while cumulative greenhouse gas emissions associated with secondary production have been reduced 65%.
The report also quantifies aluminium’s sustainability contributions during the product and end-of-life phases.
Aluminium’s use in automotive and light truck applications alone almost neutralises the environmental impacts associated with the industry’s primary production activities, the study found.
'Light-weighting' vehicles with aluminium in 2009 offset 90% of the energy consumption associated with primary production and 96% of cumulative greenhouse gas emissions associated with primary production.
According to the report, in 2009, the recycling of aluminum offset approximately 88% of major resource use associated with primary aluminum production.
The full report can be downloaded at www.aluminum.org/SustainabilityReport