VAR | Verband der Aluminiumrecycling-Industrie

Aluminium is a metallic material, whose properties and characteristics are not affected even after it has been used in a product. Therefore aluminium can be recycled and
re-used, after having undergone adequate treatment and preparation, as often as necessary without any loss in quality. The high value of the metal is maintained and guarantees a sufficient economic incentive for the metal to actually be collected, treated, melted and used again in a similar or comparable way at the end of the product's service life.

Aluminium that arises during processing stages or at the end of a product's service life becomes a secondary raw material which has markets world-wide. Aluminium in the shape of lumps of scrap, turnings, skimmings etc. is collected, treated and melted. The molten aluminium is processed into alloys for the production of cast, extruded and rolled products. Needed in low quantities but assuming a high significance for the steel industry and the aluminothermic process are special products, like aluminium granules, powder or deoxidation aluminium.

At present, German refiners produce about 658.100 tonnes of casting alloys annually from secondary raw materials. EU annual production is in the range of 2.8 million tonnes.

Production volumes of wrought alloys made on the basis of secondary raw materials can at present only be estimated, with European production figures being in the range of 3.5 million tonnes (turnaround scrap included).

The recovery and recycling of aluminium is carried out by metal merchants, processors, aluminium refiners and remelters, the latter two groups forming the end of the recycling process as producers of casting and wrought alloys. However, the aluminium recycling industry counts among its members also those companies which treat and process salt slags and filter dust, both arising during production. They contribute to the fact that Germany has already largely reached the goal of recovering and recycling aluminium without leaving any residues behind.

In Germany, the business of the recycling of aluminium secures about 20,000 jobs.


International Aluminium-Pressure Die Casting Competition 2010 Aluminium is a metallic material, whose properties and characteristics are not affected even after it has been used in a product. Therefore aluminium can be recycled and re-used, after having undergone adequate treatment and preparation, as often as necessary without any loss in quality. The high value of the metal is maintained and guarantees a sufficient economic incentive for the metal to actually be collected, treated, melted and used again in a similar or comparable way at the end of the product's service life. Aluminium that arises during processing stages or at the end of a product's service life becomes a secondary raw material which has markets world-wide. Aluminium in the shape of lumps of scrap, turnings, skimmings etc. is collected, treated and melted. The molten aluminium is processed into alloys for the production of cast, extruded and rolled products. Needed in low quantities but assuming a high significance for the steel industry and the aluminothermic process are special products, like aluminium granules, powder or deoxidation aluminium. At present, German refiners produce about 658.100 tonnes of casting alloys annually from secondary raw materials. EU annual production is in the range of 2.8 million tonnes. Production volumes of wrought alloys made on the basis of secondary raw materials can at present only be estimated, with European production figures being in the range of 3.5 million tonnes (turnaround scrap included). The recovery and recycling of aluminium is carried out by metal merchants, processors, aluminium refiners and remelters, the latter two groups forming the end of the recycling process as producers of casting and wrought alloys. However, the aluminium recycling industry counts among its members also those companies which treat and process salt slags and filter dust, both arising during production. They contribute to the fact that Germany has already largely reached the goal of recovering and recycling aluminium without leaving any residues behind. In Germany, the business of the recycling of aluminium secures about 20,000 jobs.