Adek is manufactured from 100% recycled aluminium
Adek aluminium decking is leading the way when it comes to sustainability. And we’re proud to offer the first decking system available in the UK that is made from 100% recycled aluminium. This ties in with the Ecodek philosophy of developing products that have a low or negative carbon footprint.
Recycling aluminium is a very environmentally-sound process. The production of recycled or secondary aluminium uses approximately 5% of the energy that it takes to produce the same weight of primary metal. Importantly, because of the technology used in the production of Adek boards, there is no loss of quality or performance in our recycled material.
This means that the vast majority of embodied carbon in our recycled aluminium will not be lost but will remain in the guise of new and different products, with only marginal increases in embodied carbon being associated with each recycling event.
Aluminium recycling
The recycling process is so effective and the material itself is so resistant to corrosion that aluminium is uniquely long lived. It has been calculated that 75% of all aluminium produced since output began on an industrial scale in the late 19th century is still in use today.
Aluminium recycling rates vary across the world but within the UK the recycling rate for new scrap created during fabrication is 100% and the rate for the construction industry is very high at approximately 92% – 98%.
Our Adek profiles are manufactured under the following certifications:
• ISO9001 Quality,
• ISO14001 Environmental
• OHSAS18001 Health and Safety
Aluminium: the “The Magic Metal”
Aluminium has been called “The Magic Metal” or “The Wonder Metal” because of the beneficial physical, chemical and mechanical properties it and it’s alloys enjoy. These include:
- It’s low density. Aluminium is only one-third the weight of steel.
- It’s high resistance to most forms of corrosion. The metal’s natural coating of aluminium oxide provides a highly effective barrier to the damaging effects of air, temperature, moisture and chemicals, making it an extremely useful construction material.
- It’s non-magnetic and non-combustible – properties invaluable in advanced industries such as construction, electronics or in offshore structures.
- It’s non-toxic and impervious – qualities that have promoted its use in the food and packaging industries for many years. Aluminium is strong and ductile, which, combined with low density, has resulted in its extensive use across a wide variety of applications.
- It’s easily recycled, and can be recycled repeatedly without loss of quality, making it a highly sustainable material.
- Other valuable properties include high reflectivity, heat barrier properties and heat conduction. The metal is malleable and easily worked by common manufacturing and shaping processes.
ALFED Aluminium Federation – See website https://alfed.org.uk/