International Aluminium Institute

This article is part of the Mining and Metals project of Spinwatch

The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) is the Global Forum for the world's top aluminium producers. They have 27 member companies, represented on the IAI Board of Directors by their CEOs. The 27 companies make up 80% of world primary aluminium production .

Aims

The IAI's key objectives are to increase the aluminium market, to cooperate with national aluminium associations on common problems, to lobby on behalf of the aluminium industry to international agencies, to increase recycling and environmentally sound practices, and to promote aluminium as an environmentally sound and clean metal.

Greenwash

Like the Aluminium Association, the European Aluminium Association, the Aluminium Federation, International Council on Mining and Metals and other aluminium lobbying bodies and associations, the IAI is active in protecting the industry's reputation in view of its polluting and energy intensive processes, especially given climate change awareness and policy.

The IAI website states;

Through the IAI, the aluminium industry aims to promote a wider understanding of its activities and demonstrate its responsibility in relation to all key sustainability issues - environmental, health, safety and recycling.

In contrast, evidence shows the aluminium industry as a major polluter and human rights abuser. Aluminium production contributes 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses 1300 tons of water and 13.1 tons of CO2 for every one ton of aluminium produced. It is also the most energy intensive metal to produce, relying heavily on large hydro electric projects which have massive social and environmental consequences.

Recycling aluminium is 95% more efficient than producing new aluminium but still takes the same amount of energy as producing new steel Major aluminium producer Alcoa sources only 20% of its aluminium from recycling. Overall recycling rates are 33% and, according to US Aluminium Association figures, going down. Approximately 30% of aluminium is used for arms manufacture and defense.

The human rights abuses of aluminium companies have also been well documented. Rio Tinto was named 'probably the most uncaring and ruthless company in the world' for its anti-unionising stance, in a House of Commons debate in 1998. A Corpwatch investigation called Rio Tinto 'a poster child for corporate malfeasance' and identified human rights abuses in their operations across the world.

A 2007 Joint Report of The National Labor Committee & COMUN (Community Communication catalogues a series of serious human rights abuses by Alcoa in Honduras, including paying 'starvation wages' of only 74 cents an hour, forced overtime, outlawing of unions in violation of the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement and a 'systematic pattern of gross human rights violations at Alcoa's plants'.

Aluminium for Future Generations

Using the Bruntland commission definition of sustainability as use of resources that does not compromise future generations, the IAI has named its sustainability and health and safety initiative 'Aluminium for Future Generations'.

The initiative aims for:

• 1. The primary aluminium industry seeks to achieve the long term elimination of perfluorocarbon (PFC) emissions. (citing an 86% decrease in PFCs between 1990 and 2006, and a target of 93% reduction on 1990 levels by 2020).
• 2. A minimum of a 33% reduction in fluoride emissions by IAI Member Companies per tonne of aluminium produced by 2010 versus 1990.
• 3. A 10% reduction in average smelting energy usage by IAI Member Companies per tonne of aluminium produced by 2010 versus 1990.
• 4. A 50% reduction in the lost time accident rate and recordable accident rate by 2010 versus 2000 by IAI Member Companies.
• 5. Implementation of Management Systems for Environment (including ISO 14000 or equivalent certification) and for Health and Safety in 95% of IAI Member companies’ plants by 2010.
• 6. Implementation of an Employee Exposure Assessment and Medical Surveillance Programme in 95% of IAI Member companies’ plants by 2010.
• 7. The industry will monitor annually aluminium shipments for use in transport in order to track aluminium's contribution through light-weighting to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from road, rail and sea transport.
• 8. The IAI has developed a mass flow model to identify future recycling flows. The industry will report regularly on its global recycling performance.
• 9 & 10. The IAI Member Companies will seek to reduce their fresh water consumption per tonne of (9) aluminium and (10) alumina produced.
• 11. The IAI Member Companies will seek to reduce GHG emissions from the production of alumina per tonne of alumina produced.
• 12. The IAI Member Companies will seek to continue to increase the proportion of bauxite mining land rehabilitated annually.
• 13. The Aluminium industry recognizes that spent pot-lining has properties that makes it a valuable material for use in other processes and will therefore strive either to convert all spent pot lining into feedstock's for other industries, which include cement, steel, mineral wool and construction aggregate companies or to re-use and or process all SPL in its own facilities. Pending final deposition, the industry will endeavour to store all spent pot lining in secure waterproof, ventilated buildings/containers that will maintain the spent pot lining in a dry state with no potential for the build up of noxious gases.

While a number of efficiency improvements have been made in aluminium production, the overall impact of the industry is still increasing year on year as production increases. In contrast to the claims made here the aluminium industry has also been actively lobbying against carbon taxes, and climate change legislation. The UK Aluminium Federation has lobbied hard against the reduction of rebates from the Climate Change Levy to energy intensive industries from 80% to 65%, which will come into effect in 2011. They argue that the aluminium industry has already reduced emissions by 39% since 1990, omitting to add that aluminium is the most energy intensive metal to produce and that overall emissions have increased dramatically and demand is predicted to double by 2020.

Board of Directors

The board of directors is made up of the CEOs of each of the 27 member companies.

Chairmen

• Svein Richard Brandtzaeg since 2010 (Hydro)
• Artem Volynets 2009 (RUSAL)
• Dick Evans 2008 (Rio Tinto Alcan)

Staff as of Feb 2012

• Ron Knapp Secretary General
• Chris Bayliss Deputy Secretary General & Director, Global Projects
• Marlen Bertram Deputy Secretary General
• Edward Jerrard Administration & Finance
• Sharon Davies Events & Corporate Services
• Sammy Jones Health & Environment
• Katy Tsesmelis Materials Stewardship
• Nadine Faldo Statistical Reporting
• WU Linlin Statistical Analysis

Member Companies

• Alcoa Inc.
• Aluar Aluminio Argentino S.A.I.C
• Alumina Limited Australian company and partner in Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals (AWAC). *Aluminerie Alouette Inc.
• Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)
• Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco)
• BHP Billiton
• Century Aluminum
• China Power Investment Corporation (CPI)
• Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio
• Dadco Alumina & Chemicals Limited
• Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (Dubal)
• Emirates Aluminium Company Limited (EMAL)
• Glencore International AG
• Hindalco Industries Limited
• Hydro
• Japan Alumina Associates (Australia) Pty Ltd
• Mitsubishi Corporation
• Mitsui & Co Ltd.
• Nippon Light Metal Company Ltd.
• PT Asahan
• Qatalum
• Rio Tinto Alcan
• Sohar Aluminium
• Sumitomo
• United Company RUSAL (UC RUSAL)
• Vale