IAI results
In 1997 the members the International Aluminium Institute concluded that the industry needed to develop as complete an understanding as possible of both the positive contributions that aluminium makes to the environmental and economic well-being of the world's population and the negative economic or environmental impacts that its production might cause. To achieve this understanding, a life cycle assessment process was initiated.
Extensive surveys were carried out in 2000, 2005 and 2007 in which the IAI member and correspondent companies collected input and output data of environmental relevance for their respective production facilities. Some of this information - such as energy use, PFC and other emission data - are also updated annually as part of the Aluminium for Future Generations sustainability surveys.
A second report (September 2007), “Life Cycle Assessment of Aluminium: Inventory Data for the Primary Aluminium Industry” the cumulative inputs and outputs of environmental significance (air emissions, waste generation, resource consumption) associated with producing primary aluminium ingot from bauxite ore.
Studies for the automotive industry have indicated that every kilogram of aluminium that replaces traditional higher density materials in a vehicle today saves the equivalent of 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions over the operating life of the vehicle:
Energy Savings by Lightweighting 1 (IFEU – 2003)
Energy Savings by Lightweighting 2 (IFEU – 2004)
Top of page