According to a current study by Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung mbH (GVM), 94,900 tonnes of the 106,600 tonnes of aluminium packaging used in Germany were recovered as material (2013: 87,300 tonnes). This represents a recycling rate of 89 per cent.
“Coupled with greater material efficiency and perfect product protection, material recovery from aluminium packaging makes an important contribution to conservation of resources,” was how Hans-Jürgen Schmidt, Managing Director of Deutsche Aluminium Verpackung Recycling GmbH (DAVR) in Grevenbroich, commented on GVM’s recycling audit. “The contribution to climate change prevention is considerable: the quantities of packaging now being recycled mean annual savings in greenhouse gases of more than 480,000 tonnes of so-called CO2 equivalents.”
“Thanks to its material properties, as a packaging material aluminium makes a vital contribution to sustainable and resource-efficient consumption,” added Christian Wellner, Executive Director of Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie (GDA) in Düsseldorf. “The recycling of aluminium packaging and the closing of material loops plays an important role in the efficient utilisation of resources and environmental protection. Yet another record result for the recycling of aluminium packaging will improve the metal’s sustainability performance even further.”
