Aluminium producers cut greenhouse gas emissions by 14%: IAI

London -- Total direct greenhouse gas emissions from the production processes of primary aluminium, including bauxite mining, alumina refining, anode production, aluminium smelting and casting, were cut by 14% between 2000 and 2005, according to survey results issued by the International Aluminium Institute Monday. The reduction came about despite a 20% growth in primary aluminium production covered by the survey, the IAI said. The reduction since 2000 has been driven primarily by an impressive 56% cut in perfluorcarbons (CF4 and C2F6) per metric tonne of primary aluminium produced, combined with a 12% reduction in other direct emissions, the IA said. "Furthermore, through energy efficiency improvements, the industry has reduced indirect emissions from electricity production by 8% per tonne of aluminium produced," it said in a statement, adding that overall, reductions of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emission have resulted in a decrease of 2 mt of CO2 equivalents for every 1 mt aluminium produced since 2000. Over the same period, the production of aluminium from recycled products worldwide rose from 13 million mt to 15 million mt/year, "saving energy and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions while meeting the demands of modern society for strong, lightweight, safe and sustainable aluminium products," the IAI said. Recycling of aluminium products needs only 5% of the energy required forprimary aluminium production, it noted. "The aluminium industry has taken a leadership role to establish a uniform global monitoring approach to greenhouse gas emissions reduction," the IAI said. "The industry publishes the results of 13 sustainability indicators annually and a complete life cycle inventory report every five years." The latest life cycle inventory is based on results from nearly three quarters of global primary aluminium production, and the industry is working "aggressively" to increase the number of plants included in the survey, the IAI said.