An Assessment of Recyclability of Used Aluminium Coffee Capsules

Abstract

As a result of increasing demands for aluminium in numerous sectors such as construction, automotive and transportation, its rate of consumption has sharply risen in recent decades. Aluminium is also used in containers for food- and drinks packaging due to its good formability, low density and corrosion resistance. The use of aluminium in everyday products lead to complex end-of-life waste, such as coffee capsules, requiring advanced recycling processes to achieve high metal recovery and quality, which is essential to reduce environmental impact and economic cost. This study focuses on the recyclability of used coffee capsules via remelting under a salt flux. Results were evaluated for different aspects such as metal yield, metal purity as well as gas generation during treatment.