Fig. 3 is probably the most interesting figure for the aluminum
packaging and recycling industry. Fig. 3a shows the estimated
amount of aluminum scraps over the different size ranges in AEB
bottom ash as determined from our samples. The estimated concentration
of the cans scrap in all the recovered aluminum for
+2 mm is shown in Fig. 3b. According to these results the aluminum
cans account for 6.7 wt.% of the total recovered aluminum
scrap in the +2 mm fractions. This indicates that cans scrap may
give a relatively small contribution in AEB bottom ash but it is still
a significant source of aluminum in bottom ash waste. Departing
from Fig. 3 it is also of interest to estimate the annual cans scrap
in the bottom ash of all eleven Dutch MSWI plants in the Netherlands.
To that end the AEB distribution data for cans scrap may be extrapolated to the total Dutch production of some 1310 kton
bottom ash in 2007 (Vereniging Afvalbedrijven, 2007), which gives
a total Dutch yield of 720 ton in the +2 mm size fractions in 2007.