The CAB Closed-Loop Recycling Scheme is helping manufacturers to get paid more for ‘waste’ aluminium, recycle more – while also closing the loop on end-of-life aluminium products.
The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) Closed-Loop Recycling Scheme (CLRS), was launched in 2021 and is designed to promote efficient aluminium recycling within the construction sector.
The scheme supports aluminium in recycling more – and to get paid more for scrap product – by isolating waste streams so that higher value aluminium alloys used in construction are ring-fenced, commanding a higher price, from recycling specialists.
“The most commonly used alloy in aluminium in construction is 6063. In addition to the raw aluminium, it contains approximately 0.4% silicon and 0.7% magnesium”, explained Nigel Headford, Chief Executive of CAB.
“If you can preserve that ‘mix’, you directly close-the-loop on the recycling process. The product that you’re ripping out or extrusion or manufacturing waste goes directly back into a new generation of products.
“These can be made generating only a fraction of the carbon – just 5% – used in manufacture of raw materials.
“And as well as delivering major environmental wins, it’s also worth more to recyclers, which means members of CAB CLRS can get paid up to 20% more for their scrap.”
The CAB Closed-Loop Recycling Scheme (CLRS) brings increased traceability to waste aluminium so that similar alloys are recycled together, maintaining their quality and usability. This includes manufacturing waste and post-consumer material.
Free to join to CAB members, manufacturers, installation and refurbishment teams – or demolition partners, simply have to commit to separate waste aluminium according to alloy in collection
CAB recycling partners provide skips either at member factories or on site for larger schemes and collect them issuing a waste transfer note.
A detailed report is then issued, providing full visibility of how much aluminium was collected, which is submitted by members to CAB on a monthly basis.
This provides the foundation for an annual certificate, highlighting the tonnes collected and as part of an audit trail, can be used by scheme members to evidence their sustainability strategy.
Nigel continued: “It does a lot of things for the environment. It also gives members up to 20% more income on scrap while generating new commercial opportunities by demonstrating their commitment to sustainability.
“It also generates opportunities through the National Building Specification (NBS) Clause C20. If you can get it written into the specification to include the responsible disposal of aluminium during demolition phases of construction projects, as a member of the CLRS scheme, you can lock yourself into the project and win more business.”
For more information about the CAB Closed-Loop Recycling Scheme visit https://c-a-b.org.uk/closed-loop-recycling/ . Alternatively email enquiries@c-a-b.org.uk or call the team on 01453 828851.
