UACJ's Idea of Building a Circular Economy in Aluminum
Aluminum is a material that is freely transformable in its shape and can be eternally recyclable as the same product over and over again.
In order to realize "a future where Earth can continue to be beautiful and bountiful," UACJ has identified the following three items as environmental materiality issues: "Leading a Society where Aluminum is Recycled, "Taking Measures to Address Climate Change," and "Conservation and Restoration/Regeneration of Nature (Support to the “Nature Positive”)." These three materiality issues are interrelated, mutually supportive, and fused into a whole. To promote these issues, UACJ aims to "build a society where aluminum is recycled" by pursuing aluminum recycling in various fields.
Aluminum Recycling: Our 3 Initiatives
UACJ uses the technology it has developed over many years to make the best use of scrap generated in the material production process at its own plant, as well as scrap from the machining process at users of aluminum materials, and materials recovered from used products. Below are three specific examples of our efforts.
- Case 1: Internal recycling
- Use of scrap generated in the material production process at our own plant
- Case 2: Recycling involving aluminum product manufacturers
- Use of scrap from machining process at large consumers
- Case 3: Recycling involving end consumers
- Use of materials recovered from used products
Case 1: Internal recycling:
Promote recycling by introducing briquetting machines
Scrap generated in the material production process in the company's own plant is collected. After being compressed by a briquetting machine (metal chip compressor), it is melted down in the same way as primary aluminum and various elements are added. This allows the primary alloy to be cast again.
At each of UACJ's production site, scrap is considered a valuable resource and is reused to the maximum extent possible.
Case 2: Recycling involving aluminum product manufacturers:
Reuse of scrap from automakers
Aluminum is easy to process and lightweight. Its use in automotive bodies can reduce fuel and energy consumption.
UACJ contributes to the reduction of environmental impact by collecting and reusing scrap from the automotive manufacturing process (this process is called "closed loop recycling").
Case 3: Recycling involving end consumers:
Promote recycling of aluminum cans
The recycling rate of aluminum beverage cans in Japan is one of the highest in the world at over 95%. As a member of the Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association, UACJ Group actively participates in aluminum beverage can recycling activities.
In addition UACJ is promoting unique recycling initiatives such as “Can to Can recycling” (purchasing collected used aluminum cans as raw materials for recycling at each production site) and developing “EcoEnd” low-carbon aluminum beverage can lids.
Note: Percentage of used beverage cans recycled domestically and exported out of all aluminum cans consumed domestically.
(Used beverage cans recycled domestically + exported) / all aluminum cans consumed domestically
Aiming to play a role at the "heart" of aluminum recycling
UACJ plays a central role in promoting aluminum recycling by combining forward material flows (providing materials to manufacturers) and reverse material flows (collecting various types of scrap and reuse it as raw material).
We will continue to explore the possibilities of aluminum to “lead a circular economy in aluminum” and realize “a future where Earth can continue to be beautiful and bountiful.”
Recirculating systems created with aluminum
