Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said it will start constructing an aluminium recycling plant in Abu Dhabi, which is expected to be the UAE's largest yet
The 170 thousand tonnes per year facility is being built next to EGA’s existing smelter in Al Taweelah. The plant will process post-consumer aluminium scrap such as used window frames, as well as pre-consumer aluminium scrap from extrusion production, into low-carbon, high quality premium aluminium billets.
The new facility will supply local and global markets with low carbon metal under the product name RevivAL. Construction is expected to be complete within three years.
Most of the aluminium scrap generated in the UAE is currently exported for processing outside the country, and is lost to the national economy. Once the recycling plant is complete, EGA expects to become the largest consumer of aluminium scrap in the UAE.
Market analysts expect global demand for recycled aluminium to grow from some 27 million tonnes per year in 2022 to 57 million tonnes in 2040. Recycled aluminium is expected to account for around 60% of the growth in global aluminium supply between now and 2030, and around 70% of supply growth between 2030 and 2040. Aluminium is infinitely-recyclable. Recycling aluminium requires 95% less energy than making new metal, and results in a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions of primary aluminium production.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, said, “Aluminium recycling is key to our metal achieving its enormous potential to contribute to decarbonisation while improving global living standards. This makes recycling the biggest global growth opportunity for our industry, and for EGA. Our construction of a major aluminium recycling plant will provide low carbon product options for our local and global customers while contributing to the national Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy.”
