In a significant move towards bolstering recycling infrastructure and sustainability, Novelis extends its support for the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act recently introduced by U.S. House Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Mikie Sherrill on November 1, 2023. This legislation, designed to enhance recycling accessibility, particularly in underserved communities, is garnering bipartisan support and widespread acclaim from key stakeholders.  The House bill mirrors a Senate bill introduced earlier this year by Senators Tom Carper, Shelley Moore Capito and John Boozman. 

Chris Cerone, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at Novelis, expressed enthusiasm for the proactive, market-oriented approach of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act.  Cerone emphasized the positive impact the legislation could have on the economy and the environment, especially for critical materials like aluminum. 

“As the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, Novelis applauds Congresswoman Miller-Meeks’ introduction of the Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act. Expanding recycling access through the creation of public-private partnerships in underserved recycling communities, especially for critical materials like aluminum, is good for the economy and environment,” stated Cerone. 

The Act aims to address the challenges of America’s fragmented recycling system by establishing a pilot program to improve recycling accessibility in communities lacking sufficient infrastructure. Novelis, recognizing the importance of sustainable practices, sees this legislation as a crucial step towards achieving a more circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of recyclable materials. 

Novelis encourages the development of public-private partnerships and welcomes the proposed legislation as a means to further enhance recycling efforts across the nation. The company remains committed to supporting initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable future and will continue to help build support for the Senate and House bills. 

EPW Committee Advances Bipartisan Recycling Legislation – Majority News – U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works 

In a world witnessing a surge in aluminium demand, Novelis and Ball Corporation, both members of the First Movers Coalition (FMC), are leading the charge towards sustainability through a pioneering collaboration. As highlighted in a recent article by the World Economic Forum, the aluminium industry faces the imperative of meeting a projected 40% increase in global demand by 2030. 

The challenges lie in the emissions-intensive nature of primary aluminium production, where about 70% is still derived through energy-intensive refining and smelting processes. The call for decarbonization has prompted innovative strategies, and the collaboration between Novelis and Ball Corporation stands out as a beacon of progress.  

This dynamic partnership is not only based on a closed-loop arrangement but also extends its influence globally, working with various stakeholders throughout the manufacturing supply chain to enhance recycling rates and bolster the availability of aluminium scrap for recycling.  

The recycling industry plays a pivotal role in this sustainable narrative. With recycled aluminium accounting for one-third of the global supply, and estimates suggesting that 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in circulation, the focus on recyclers and the production of low-carbon recycled products is paramount. 

Novelis, as a global leader in aluminium recycling, acknowledges the critical role of secondary, recycled aluminium in mitigating the environmental impact of the industry. The collaborative efforts between Novelis and Ball Corporation showcase a harmonized approach to recycling, contributing to increased efficiencies in collection and production of recycled aluminium. 

As we navigate the complex landscape of aluminium production, the collaboration between Novelis and Ball Corporation stands as a testament to the power of partnerships in driving positive change. By combining their strengths, these FMC members are actively contributing to the broader goal of decarbonizing primary aluminium production and fostering a greener future for the aluminium industry. 

Read the full article here: Aluminium demand is rising – here’s how to make it sustainable | World Economic Forum (weforum.org) 

According to AL Circle’s recently released report “Global Aluminium Industry: Key Trends to 2030,” the world recycled aluminium usage stood at 27.1 million tonnes in 2022 and is expected to grow to record more than 28 million tonnes in 2023. In their article, “Top 5 aluminium recycling companies that are currently leading the global market” Novelis was recognized as the world’s largest recycler, with over 2.2 million tonnes of recycled aluminum during FY2022.

Read the AL Circle article here.

Novelis is proud to issue our FY23 sustainability report Scaling Circularity.

The report highlights progress toward our sustainability goals in the areas of environment, safety, diversity and inclusion, and community. Read the full report here: Scaling Circularity – Novelis

Report Highlights

Carbon Emissions

Novelis’ carbon neutral by 2050 goal demonstrates our long-term commitment and is the pinnacle of our sustainability journey. One of Novelis’ key sustainability strategies is to reduce carbon emissions by incorporating as much recycled aluminum as possible into our products. In FY23 we achieved an average 61% recycled content across product lines globally, one of the highest recycled content percentages in the aluminum flat rolled products industry. Even with an expanded operational footprint, our absolute carbon emissions are 14% lower today than our 2016 baseline, demonstrating strong progress toward our near-term goal to reduce our CO2 footprint 30% by 2026.

Eliminating Waste

At Novelis, we aim to reduce our waste to landfill intensity by 20% by 2026 and have made significant progress toward that goal with a 10% waste reduction compared to our 2020 baseline. We are identifying new technologies to reduce dross sent to landfill and salt cake waste in pursuit of our 2026 waste reduction goals. Our teams look for strategic waste reduction partnerships focused on circular solutions and have begun researching new techniques for reducing and reusing dross with industry-leading partners in North America and Asia.

Community Impact

Novelis implemented an enhanced community engagement strategy aimed at increasing our charitable giving in line with our business growth projections. We are proud to note that Novelis donated $7.5 million to charitable causes in fiscal 2023, in addition to $375,000 in employee donations. Throughout the year, Novelis was responsive to local community needs and supported our employees in more than 350 community engagements, which included cooking meals, planting trees, hosting clothing drives, and much more.

Nonprofit Partnerships

Building on a long-term collaboration, Novelis became a strategic partner to FIRST®, a nonprofit that introduces students pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade (ages 4 through 18) to engineering, coding, and robotics. This mutually beneficial partnership is developing diverse talent pipelines, underscoring aluminum as the most sustainable material, and building deeper relationships with customers and stakeholders who value sustainable innovation in future generations.

Demonstrating its sustainability leadership, Novelis recently announced that recycled aluminum accounted for 61% of its total inputs for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. That mark is the highest percentage of recycled content in the aluminum flat rolled products industry, solidifying the company’s position as a leader in aluminum recycling and decarbonization.

Last year, Novelis recycled approximately 2.3 million tons of aluminum. That includes over 82 billion used beverage cans, which, if laid end-to-end, would circle Earth 263 times at the equator! These numbers have grown substantially, thanks in part to innovation and partnerships to increase circularity. We are investing heavily to grow our recycling capacity with nearly $2 billion of completed and announced investments since 2011.

Incorporating as much recycled aluminum as possible into our products is the single most impactful way for Novelis to reduce carbon emissions across the global value chain. Recycling aluminum is up to 95% less energy intensive – and therefore emits approximately 95% less carbon – than producing primary aluminum.

The article focuses on the latest recycling tech trends that are improving collection, identification and sorting, as well as other crucial processes and exciting opportunities like robotics and high-speed sortation for municipal and industrial scrap. 

Read the entire article here: Technology in recycling metals improves – American Recycler News, Inc.

By Jamie Zinser, Vice President, Global Automotive, Novelis Inc.

ATLANTA, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — As the global automotive industry strives to reach ambitious sustainability targets, most notably regarding carbon emissions, it continues to gravitate toward the world’s infinitely recyclable material—aluminum. In fact, aluminum can be recycled and reused endlessly without losing its material properties. This phenomenon is the foundation of a circular economy for the automotive industry fueled by closed-loop and end-of-life recycling.

Read the full report here.

In observance of World Environment Day, Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, celebrates its purpose of shaping a more sustainable world together.  

“For Novelis, sustainability is not a ‘nice to have’ concept – it is the core of who we are and what we do,” said Steve Fisher, President & Chief Executive Officer, Novelis Inc.  

As a leader in the manufacturing of sustainable aluminum products, Novelis takes its responsibility to reduce its carbon footprint seriously as it works toward enabling a more circular aluminum industry, with a focus on optimizing aluminum’s infinite recyclability.  

Aluminum: Circular Solution  

As a leading aluminum solutions provider, Novelis recycles more aluminum than any other company in the world: 2.2 million tons per year.  A highly durable metal, aluminum can be recycled again and again without degrading its inherent value or losing any of its properties. In fact, aluminum cans are the most recyclable product in the world.  

“Sustainability is at the heart of Novelis, and we are very proud of the average 61% recycled content in our products, which is significantly higher than any other flat rolled aluminum maker,” said Pierre Labat, Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy and Sustainability, Novelis Inc.  “Aluminum’s ability to be recycled over and over without loss of performance offers an unmatched promise to achieve a more sustainable and circular future. 

Recycling Preserves Resources; Uses Less Energy  

A key benefit of aluminum’s infinite recyclability is that 75% of all aluminum ever produced remains in circulation today. This is especially important because it takes 95% less energy to recycle a ton of aluminum than it does to create a new ton of aluminum. Novelis recognizes that it takes less energy to keep aluminum “in the loop” as long as possible, preserving the natural resources that went into products in the first place.   

If a used beverage can is kept out of the landfill and is instead recycled, it can be melted, rolled, made into a new can, filled with a new beverage and be back on a store shelf in as little as 60 days—and this can be done over and over – and over again.  Aluminum is one of the only materials in the consumer and industrial waste stream that can maintain its performance characteristics through the recycling process.  

Working Toward Circularity to Benefit Society 

Novelis leads the industry in ensuring aluminum is the sustainable material of choice for beverage packaging, automotive, aerospace, transportation, building and construction, and a wide range of other industries that seek strong yet lightweight sustainable materials that support the circular economy.  

From the automobiles we drive and the buildings we live in, to durable goods and the drinks we enjoy, aluminum products help significantly save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

“Novelis plays a key role in enabling the transition to a more circular economy and a more sustainable future. Our focus is to not only find ways to reduce our impact but to develop innovative solutions for the benefit of society,” said Mr. Fisher. 

Novelis issued its second Green Bond report, which highlights the company’s sustainability focused investments funded by a Green Bond.

As it leads the way in decarbonizing the aluminum industry, Novelis shares news of its investments and how they enhance the company’s ability to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions and meet its ambitious goals for reductions in carbon emissions, energy use, water use and landfill waste.

“These projects demonstrate that Novelis is successfully carrying out its purpose of ‘Shaping a Sustainable World Together’ by funding investments that significantly lower the carbon emissions of our manufacturing operations and enable us to continue to increase the recycled content of our products, which are already at industry-leading levels,” said Steve Fisher, Novelis President & Chief Executive Officer. “Innovation is the driving force behind change as Novelis and our customers work together to create a more circular economy for aluminum.”

Read the report here.