SCANMETALS JOINS ALUPRO

The aluminum packaging recycling organization, Alupro, has added Scanmetals as a new member of the association. Scanmetals is responsible for the recovery of non-ferrous metals from incinerator bottom ash generated by energy-from-waste (EfW) facilities.

Scanmetal specializes in the sorting of incinerator bottom bottom ash (IBA) after recovery of residual waste to generate electricity and heat. This process is achieved with mechanical and sensor-based technology that removes dust and aggregates. The individual fractions of valuable metals are then mined and sold to smelters, refiners, ingot manufacturers and foundries.

One of the main advantages is that the Scanmetals process differs from traditional solutions in that it is completely dry. This avoids the use of large volumes of water and chemicals, while minimizing oxidation of recovered metals, improving production quality.

Andrew King, managing director of Scanmetals notes, “With over 11 million tons of household and municipal waste treated at EfW facilities in the UK alone each year, we believe that capturing the metals released during energy recovery is an important circular process.”

King details that “by sorting IBA, we capture more than 39,000 tons of ferrous metal per year, including 26,000 tons of aluminum, 85% of which comes from aluminum packaging. Thanks to our unique process, we play a key role in diverting valuable resources from landfills. And because IBA’s recovered metal achieves significant energy savings compared to primary production, we can help companies around the world reduce their carbon footprint and prioritize the use of recycled materials.

Finally, Tom Giddings, CEO of Alupro, concludes, “We are delighted to announce Scanmetals as the first IBA recovery specialist to join Alupro. It demonstrates the company’s commitment to engaging with new audiences, as well as communicating to consumers the important role of IBA in tomorrow’s circular economy. We look forward to exploring ways we can work together and make a real difference in the aluminum packaging recycling industry.”