Baled post-consumer aluminium foil and formed containers, up to 5% organic residue. Processed by smelters with organic pre-treatment / de-lacquering.

ISRI Grade Name: Tesla

ISRI Description and Specification

Tesla covers baled, post-consumer aluminium foil and formed foil containers — household cooking foil, takeaway trays, pie dishes, and similar items — made from uncoated 1000-, 3000-, or 8000-series alloys. Up to 5% organic residue (food waste, grease) is permitted by weight. The material must be free of radar chaff, etched or laminated foil (printed foil laminates belong to Tetra), and anodised foil. Tesla is a post-consumer grade, meaning it is collected through household recycling programs, food service waste streams, or commercial kitchen scrap collection rather than from manufacturing plants.

Who Uses Tesla Scrap

Secondary smelters with dedicated organic pre-treatment capability (rotary kilns or thermal de-lacquering units) are the primary processors of Tesla, since the 5% organic allowance means that standard melt operations would generate unacceptably high dross and emissions without pre-treatment. In India, the domestic collection and processing of used household foil is relatively nascent but growing, driven by the expansion of quick-service restaurant packaging and food delivery services. Imported Tesla bales from markets with established household aluminium foil recycling programs (Germany, the Netherlands, the UK) are processed by dedicated secondary smelters into packaging-grade aluminium ingots.