Skip to content

According to a recent study by the GVM Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarkt-forschung mbH, Mainz, in 2011 of 93,700 tons, 82,200 tons were used in the market. This corresponds to a recycling rate of 87.8 percent.

For aluminum beverage cans in the deposit system, the GVM assumes a return of 96 percent; they are considered the most recycled packaging container worldwide.

“The high recycling rates prove that we have an excellent functioning packaging recycling system in Germany. The yellow bin is established and successful. Modern separation technology such as efficient eddy current separators are used across the board. It makes sense to open this system as a so-called recycling bin now for other used metal products, ”said Hans-Jürgen Schmidt, Managing Director of DAVR Deutsche Aluminum Verpackung Recycling GmbH, Grevenbroich, commenting on the new values.

For many years, Hydro, also in close cooperation with other industrial companies and associations, has been committed to ensuring that even more used aluminum packaging - like other aluminum scrap - is efficiently collected and recycled. Hydro itself built three new remelting furnaces in a row in Germany a few years ago to recycle up to 150,000 tons of aluminum scrap a year. Overall, the aluminum group is pursuing the goal of increasing its own remelting of recycled metal to 1 million tons per year (for comparison: Hydro produced almost 2 million tons of new aluminum in 2012).

The GVM determines the generation and recycling of packaging waste in Germany every year - also on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency in Berlin. The recycling volumes of the dual systems and the return of used packaging via other organizations and collection channels are taken into account.

When recycling aluminum, up to 95% of the energy required for primary production can be saved, thus saving valuable raw materials and resources. The contribution to climate protection is also considerable. Based on the recovery rates achieved, the annual greenhouse gas savings according to DAVR calculations amount to more than 430,000 t of so-called CO2 equivalents. Expenses for collection, processing and recycling as well as material losses were taken into account. This corresponds to the complete fuel savings of over 180,000 cars on Germany's roads.

This text is machine translated. To view the original German text, click on DE on the top right of this window

Recommended for you