Strategies for maintaining light metal reuse: Insights from modeling of firm-wide raw materials availability and demand

The effective reuse and recycling of metals will be a necessary element of the transition to a sustainable technology-based society. Realizing this will require actions by stakeholders throughout the materials system, this paper examines the use of mathematical programming models to identify detailed strategies for improving the reuse capacity for aluminum. Results, in particular sensitivity analysis, from this model are demonstrated to provide quantitative guidance for secondary metal processors, remelters, and product designers in their collection, selection, modification, and specification of materials. Using a case study involving hypothetical closed loop recycling of automotive aluminum, model results are used to guide alloy choices that improve reuse capacity by nearly 20%. Additionally, dozens of alloy compositional specifications are identified which offer both financial and reuse capacity benefits. The results and methods presented serve as a basis for intentional materials system design.