Why We Need Transparency in Metals Recycling to Reach Climate Goals

This briefing by RMI argues that transparency in reporting the types of scrap used in metal production—specifically distinguishing between pre-consumer and post-consumer scrap—is essential for achieving 1.5°C climate-aligned decarbonization goals in the steel and aluminum sectors.

• Material efficiency and recirculation are critical for climate goals, contributing to nearly 20 percent of the cumulative greenhouse gas emissions reductions required by 2050 for the steel and aluminum sectors.
• Post-consumer scrap provides greater environmental benefits than pre-consumer scrap because it replaces emissions-intensive primary aluminum production, which averages 16 tons of CO2e per ton. In contrast, pre-consumer scrap is viewed as a system inefficiency, and global emissions reductions should focus on reducing its generation rather than increasing its recycling rates, which are already approximately 96 percent.
• To align with a 1.5°C GHG trajectory, the aluminum industry must shift its scrap composition by 2050: the share of pre-consumer scrap must decrease from 13 percent (2020 level) to approximately 9 percent, while the share of post-consumer scrap must increase from 21 percent (2020 level) to 46 percent.
• A significant amount of aluminum post-consumer scrap is currently lost; globally, about 26 percent (roughly 7 million tons) ends up in landfills or incineration, a figure projected to reach 18 million tons by 2050. In Europe, specifically for beverage cans that reached end-of-life in 2019, nearly 28 percent were incinerated or landfilled.
• Current reporting is insufficient because producers typically report total recycled content without specifying the share of post-consumer scrap. RMI and the International Aluminum Institute are promoting separate disclosure to incentivize the use of end-of-life scrap. Market demand is already rising, evidenced by Fastmarkets releasing a price assessment in late 2022 for aluminum billets with over 20 percent post-consumer scrap content.

APA

RMI (2023). Why We Need Transparency in Metals Recycling to Reach Climate Goals. https://rmi.org/resources/why-we-need-transparency-in-metals-recycling-to-reach-climate-goals/

Chicago

RMI. Why We Need Transparency in Metals Recycling to Reach Climate Goals. 2023. https://rmi.org/resources/why-we-need-transparency-in-metals-recycling-to-reach-climate-goals/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Why We Need Transparency in Metals Recycling to Reach Climate Goals |date=16 May 2023 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/why-we-need-transparency-in-metals-recycling-to-reach-climate-goals/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2023why, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Why We Need Transparency in Metals Recycling to Reach Climate Goals}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/why-we-need-transparency-in-metals-recycling-to-reach-climate-goals/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }