Aluminum Association calls for UBC export ban

The Aluminum Association is urging the federal government to ban exports of used beverage containers (UBC) and to take other measures to improve scrap recovery and reuse within the U.S.

The U.S. consumes between 5 million and 6 million metric tons of aluminum scrap annually while exporting more than 2 million metric tons, the Arlington, Virginia-based trade organization said in a white paper released last week. The domestic aluminum industry depends heavily on recycled scrap for production, which only about 5% of the energy needed to make primary metal – saving money, reducing energy demand, and lowering manufacturing costs.