The Council for Aluminium in Building has recently set up a ‘Closed Loop Recycling’ initiative in the UK and Ireland. The aim of the initiative is to encourage the recycling of aluminium alloys within the same alloy grades. For the CAB scheme we require that extrusion grades of aluminium, namely 6,000 series alloys for the architectural aluminium market, are recycled back into the same 6,000 series alloys. The same can be said for sheet aluminium recycling, namely with 1,000 series alloys. It is important to reiterate that in a ‘closed loop’, an aluminium alloy can be recycled infinitely without loss of its specific characteristics.
Comar Architectural Aluminium Systems, a CAB member since 1996, and part of The Parkside Group, is one of the largest privately-owned British aluminium systems companies operating in the sector. As an early adopter in the sector of the framework standard for responsible sourcing, BES 6001, Comar takes its management of the organisation, its supply chain and environmental and social issues very seriously. As Nick Hudleston, Commercial Marketing Manager for Comar puts it: “We take great pride here at The Parkside Group in doing the right thing for the environment, and thus for our staff, their families and all our stakeholder communities.”
The benefits of acting responsibly are being reaped by Comar, not least in enhancing their reputation and in saving costs, they are passionate about practicing what they preach. Becoming a Founder Member of the CAB Closed Loop Recycling (CLR) Scheme was a key part of their strategy.
Aluminium recycling isn’t just about fabrication workshop scrap. Buildings today contain large quantities of aluminium have been referred to as “Urban Mines”, holding an estimated 400 million tonnes of aluminium. This metal can be extracted and reused in its existing state or re-processed over and over and over again by future generations. Nick feels strongly that more CAB members should join the CLR Scheme, an exemplar programme highlighting the true recyclability of aluminium, and that there is a need for greater awareness of the issues across the sector. “It is just common sense for CAB members to join the CLR Scheme now and not wait for it to become mandated,” Nick says.
While it is not a “box ticking” exercise, all that is required by members is a monthly return to CAB of scrap data, with all scrap sent to reputable processors for recycling of the aluminium in a closed loop, thereby ensuring profiles become profiles become profiles.
As more people start to question what happens to products at the end of life, and the next generation challenges the status quo, it is time to follow Comar’s lead and join the CAB Closed Loop Recycling Scheme.
Find out more information about the scheme and how to join at: https://c-a-b.org.uk/closed-loop-recycling/
