Aluminium has been recycled since the times it was first commercially produced and nowadays recycled aluminium accounts for one-third of global aluminium consumption world-wide. Recycling is an indispensible part of the aluminium industry and makes sense economically, technically and environmentally. At the end of their useful life, all aluminium products maintain some worth which guarantees that it is conceivable to create value by recycling them into new products. Efficiency of aluminium recycling thus decodes into high recycling rates for the several applications.
Aluminium destined for recycling can be classified into two categories: new and old scrap.
New Scrap
New scrap is the surplus material that is thrown away during the manufacturing and fabrication of aluminium alloys.
Most new scrap reaching the secondary industry comes straight from the manufacturing industry. It is usually of known quality and composition and frequently uncoated. It can therefore be melted down with just a bit of preparation. 100% of the arising fabrication scrap is remelted by the aluminium industry.
Old Scrap
Old scrap is aluminium material that is recovered when an aluminium article has been produced, used and finally thrown away at the end of its worthwhile life. Such scrap could be car cylinder heads, used beverage cans, window frames from a wrecked building or old electrical conductors.
Old scrap comes to the recyclers thru a very well-organized network of metal merchants who have the technology to recover aluminiums from household appliances, motor vehicles, etc. This is often done by means of heavy equipment such as shredders, usually together with magnetic separators to get rid of iron, and sink-and-float installations to detach the aluminium from other materials.
Processing of Scrap
Both types of scrap are processed before melting to get rid of any contamination that may exist. They are centrifuged and dried to eliminate the oil and water that may exist and then magnetically separated from any existing iron. Used beverage cans are processed to take away the interior lacquer coating and the exterior product display printing inks.
The Products
The recycling of old scrap is usually carried out by secondary aluminium refiners, whereas new scrap is mainly recycled through aluminium remelters.
For your aluminium recycling needs, Scrap Metal Sydney can take care of it for you! We ensure that your scrap can be of great value. Call us at 02 9707 2955 or visit our website at www.ScrapMetalSydney.com for more details. We will be more than happy to be of assistance to you!