How much petroleum or iron ore are required to produce plastics, metals and other everyday materials? And how much can be saved by recycling? Fraunhofer UMSICHT has developed a new method by which for the first time these questions can be answered in a neutral, scientifically substantiated manner. To do so, in a recent study, the experts put the ALBA Group, a recycling and environmental services provider under the microscope. The research shows: as a result of recycling about 6.2 million tons of recyclable materials by the ALBA Group, around 51 million tonnes of primary raw materials can be saved - an amount equivalent to the annual global demand for aluminium.
For several years, Fraunhofer UMSICHT has already been doing research into what influence the recycling activities of the ALBA Group - one of the ten largest corporate groups for environmental services and supply of raw materials worldwide - have on the environment. First of all, the researchers calculated primarily the saving of greenhouse gases by recycling. In the current study, they go one important step further and now for the first time have shown the full extent of resource conservation due to the ALBA Group's recycling.
To this end, Fraunhofer UMSICHT developed a new method with which the whole recycling process can be modelled step by step. It is based on a life cycle assessment system into which all data is fed. The data base ranges from the amount of materials recovered, by way of the kilowatt-hours of individual power units up to the supply routes and fuel consumption of the trucks or container vessels deployed. Finally, the experts compare the result with the consumption of raw materials that would be necessary to produce a similar product based on primary resources.
Take aluminium as an example: the production of one tonne of aluminium from virgin materials requires the use of 26 tonnes of aluminium ore, overburden, coal etc. On the other hand, one tonne of secondary aluminium only requires 4 tonnes of raw materials. "The difference is enormous", says Dr. Hartmut Pflaum, Departmental Head of Resources and Innovation Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. "Every day, we use objects whose production has used up precious finite resources. Our study proves that the best for our environment is to replace primary resources with secondary raw materials, because recycling results in significantly less expenditure on resources, while at the same time industry becomes less dependent on primary commodity imports."
Dr. Axel Schweitzer, Chairman of the Board of ALBA Group plc & Co. KG states: "Today no one denies that the sustainable use of resources is essential to preserve our planet and to supply the economy with raw materials in the long-term. But talking about resource efficiency is one thing, calculating it scientifically and making it intelligible is another. The Fraunhofer study clearly shows that the ALBA Group's dedication to employing innovative material cycles pays off - and that a future without waste is possible."
An explanatory film can be seen on the ALBA Group information portal <link http: www.resources-saved.com>www.resources-saved.com, as well as the full results of the study.
About the ALBA Group:
With its two brands ALBA and Interseroh, the ALBA Group is actively at work in Germany and Europe, as well as in Asia and the USA. With over 8,000 employees all told*, it generates an annual turnover of around Euros 2.6 billion (2013). This makes the ALBA Group one of the leading recycling and environmental service providers and raw material suppliers in the world.
* employees/including minority shareholdings
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