Switch to net zero in line with the UK Government goal of 2050.
The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), the trade association representing the £7 billion UK Metal Recycling sector, has launched a Carbon Action Committee highlighting the need to seek economic alternatives for metal recyclers to switch to net zero in line with the UK Government goal of 2050.
Following the environmental concerns raised at COP26, and the greater need for zero carbon emissions in all forms of commercial activity, the BMRA want to capitalise on the already well-established green credentials of metal recycling by enabling the industry as a whole to benefit.
This committee will sit within the BMRA’s Legislative Policy Group, and like all of its committees, will consist of member representatives from the industry, the people who are directly affected by Government implemented changes and who will have their own strategic goal to move to net zero operations in the coming years.
Howard Bluck, Technical Director of the BMRA said: “BMRA committees address the needs of the membership and the industry. They are the voice of metal recyclers that help us to identify priorities and, in-turn, enables us to maximise BMRA’s lobbying efforts.”
The Carbon Action Committee will work with the industry and third parties to identify initiatives and technology that can enable metal recyclers to cost effectively move towards net zero. Just recently the BMRA hosted a webinar with BEIS regarding the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. The Fund is designed to help businesses with high energy use to cut their energy bills and carbon emissions through investing in energy efficiency and low carbon technologies. The government announced £315 million of funding in the 2018 Budget, available up until 2025.
BMRA members can visit here to access the webinar: https://www.recyclemetals.org/newsandarticles/industrial-energy-transformation-fund-webinar.html
If anyone within BMRA membership would like to join this committee contact [email protected].
Media Contact
Kate Magill
t. 01480 455249
Notes to editors
The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) represents the £7.5 billion metals recycling sector, which comprises an estimated 2,500 businesses and employs over 15,000 people. The industry trades and processes over 10 million tonnes of ferrous and non-ferrous metals every year, including: steel, aluminium and copper. On average, we export eight million tonnes every year: or 80% of all scrap arisings in the UK.
Scrap metals are secondary raw materials whose use reduces the demand for precious natural resources needed to make new metal compounds – such as iron ore in steelmaking; nickel in stainless steel; or alumina and bauxite in aluminium smelting.
For example, every tonne of recycled steel saves:
- 1.5 tonnes of iron ore
- 0.5 tonnes of coal
- 70% of the energy
- 40% of the water
- 75% of CO2 emissions
The figures for aluminium and copper are even more impressive. The recycling of copper requires up to 85% less energy than primary production. Around the world, this saves 40 million tonnes of CO2. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing aluminium from raw materials and saves 97% of greenhouse gas emissions produced in the primary production process.
