[SMM Aluminum Flash News] UK Aluminum Packaging Industry Calls for Stronger Circular Recycling Policies

S32 lowered its Q3 2026 CIF MJP offer to $470/mt (from $480/mt), valid until June 5, 2026. As of May 29, the SMM average duty-paid premiums for European P1020A aluminum ingots stood at $587.5/mt, down $12.5/mt WoW; the duty-unpaid premiums for European P1020A aluminum ingots were $500/mt, down $7.5/mt WoW. As premiums in other major consuming regions pulled back, this will have a certain impact on offers and transactions in the Asian market.

Rio Tinto has started commissioning its USD1.5 billion AP60 aluminum smelter expansion at the Arvida plant in Quebec, Canada, with full start-up expected by the end of 2026. The project will add around 160,000 tones of annual primary aluminum capacity, increasing total AP60 production capacity to 220,000 tones per year. Rio Tinto said the AP60 technology, combined with Canadian hydropower, generates only one-sixth of the industry-average greenhouse gas emissions per tone of aluminum and can reduce particulate emissions by up to 90%. Markets believe the project will further strengthen North America’s low-carbon primary aluminum supply capability.

Novelis has published Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for selected aluminium products in its European architecture and construction portfolio, providing transparent and independently verified environmental data for customers. The EPDs cover primary aluminium, high-recycled-content alloys and anodized products containing more than 90% recycled aluminium. The company said demand for low-carbon and high-recycled-content aluminium continues to rise as environmental regulations and sustainability certification requirements tighten across the European construction sector. Markets believe the new EPDs will further support the adoption of circular and low-carbon aluminium materials in building applications.