BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM - solutions for sustainable living

BRAZILIAN ALUMINUM SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING 32 ALUMINUM AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING SOLUTIONS Later we will see more details in the sectors of transport, civil construction and packaging. With the development of aluminum production processes, increasing recycled content and use of clean sources of energy, the aluminum industry soon will reach a point of neutrality and assured effect upon climate, having in mind the entire life cycle of its products. One still cannot predict to what extent the demand for aluminum will be influenced by aspects of sustainability in the construction, transport and packaging markets, which account for about 70% of aluminum consumption in Brazil. ABAL’s role is to aware the society about such move, by unfolding the major traits of aluminum in some applications, working jointly with its members, universities and governments to stress out the value of such metal as an enabler of sustainable solutions. Learn more: Physical and chemical properties of aluminum 4.3. Aluminum in packaging: a barrier that preserves The raw materials of the early packaging in human history, around 4,000 B.C., were made of animal bones, parts of trees and shells. Later, root baskets and ceramic vases came to exist, and were then followed by glass, fabric, wood, paper, cardboard, foil, until the present day with aluminum and plastics. The way packaging works evolved from simple packaging for transport to nowadays, when customer information, product durability, larger exposure and logistics feasibility have begun to draw the consumer’s attention and substantially affect competitiveness. Packaging evolves from human needs, further reflecting their socio-economic development level. In the various segments such as food, beverages, cosmetics and medical supplies, packaging designers seek to select the handiest materials, taking costs into account and keeping in mind that packaging is the element fostering interaction between the product and the consumer. Packaging speaks for a segment in which the major changes stemmed from consumer awareness are shown more expressively. Coupling concerns such as convenience and practicality with health, well- being and sustainability have steered the breakthroughs in the packaging industry. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition organization is devoted to encouraging sustainable packaging, which they define as follows:  The raw materials and suppliers are responsible  They are designed to be effective and safe throughout their life cycle  They meet market performance and cost requirements