First Ship Goes to Lubei Group After Indonesia Lifts Bauxite Export Ban  

The EU-funded RecAL project aims to upgrade Europe’s aluminum recycling system by addressing alloy contamination and downcycling challenges. Led by the Austrian Institute of Technology, the initiative brings together 19 partners from nine countries to develop 14 recycling technologies and the “RecAL Hub” digital platform to improve scrap sorting, traceability and reuse efficiency, reducing the loss of high-value aluminum into lower-grade products. Aluminum beverage can recycling rates in Europe have reached 76.3%, while automotive aluminum recycling exceeds 90%. As demand for lightweight materials and circular economy solutions grows, the industry is accelerating efforts toward high-performance recycled aluminum and digitalized recycling management systems.

Herefordshire Council in the UK has expanded its household recycling rules to include aluminum foil, foil trays, foil-lined tubes and plastic tubes such as toothpaste and cosmetic packaging. The council said the move aims to simplify recycling for residents and reduce recyclable materials entering general waste streams. Under the updated guidance, households are advised to rinse and dry items before recycling, while aluminum foil should be scrunched into balls to improve sorting efficiency. The policy follows similar recycling expansions across other parts of England, reflecting broader efforts in Europe to improve recycling rates and strengthen the circular economy.

Novelis said the hot mill at its Oswego plant in New York is expected to resume production within the next few weeks, earlier than the previously expected end-June restart timeline. The facility experienced two fires in September and November 2025, both limited to the hot mill area with no injuries reported. The company said other key assets were unaffected. Recovery and commissioning activities are progressing faster than expected, and the restart is expected to help address pent-up demand and normalize shipments. The two fires caused an estimated USD 1.7 billion financial impact and reduced rolled product shipments by about 73 kilotons, negatively affecting adjusted EBITDA by around USD 53 million.