Clean mixed old-alloy aluminium sheet — auto body sheet, siding, roofing and litho sheet. A benchmark, high-volume post-consumer sheet grade (oil/grease max ~1%).

ISRI Grade Name: Taint/Tabor (sometimes written as Taint Tabor or T/T)

ISRI Description and Specification

Taint/Tabor is one of the most widely traded post-consumer aluminium sheet grades globally, serving as a benchmark for mixed old alloy aluminium sheet scrap in international trade. The ISRI specification defines Taint/Tabor as old aluminium sheet consisting of two or more alloys — primarily sourced from post-consumer and post-industrial sheet aluminium that has completed its service life. Acceptable material includes automotive body sheet, siding, roofing, lithographic sheet, and similar flat-rolled aluminium products from mixed alloy families. The specification strictly excludes: aluminium foil (which is too thin and has different melt characteristics), window blinds, aluminium castings (which belong to Tense or related grades), wire of any kind, food and beverage containers (which are reserved for UBC/Taldon grade), radiator shells, bottle caps, plastic or rubber attachments, and non-aluminium material of any description. Oil and grease are permitted up to a maximum of 1% by weight of the total lot — material exceeding this threshold requires rejection, discount, or re-processing before acceptance. Moisture, dirt, and paint are present in typical Taint/Tabor material at low levels and are generally accepted within commercial norms, though heavily contaminated or painted material may attract discounts.

Alloy Composition and Processing

Because Taint/Tabor is by definition a mixed-alloy grade, its chemistry varies more widely than single-alloy grades like Tread. Typical Taint/Tabor lots consist predominantly of 3xxx-series (manganese-alloyed), 5xxx-series (magnesium-alloyed), and 1xxx-series (commercially pure) aluminium alloys, with occasional 6xxx-series material from architectural applications. The mixed nature of the alloy pool means that the receiving smelter must have the flexibility to accept wider chemistry ranges and produce secondary alloys accordingly — typically secondary 3xxx, 5xxx, or general-purpose ingots rather than tight-specification casting alloys. Re-melting Taint/Tabor requires careful dross management, as mixed-alloy sheet tends to generate higher dross volumes than solid or heavy-section material. Processing plants typically bale, shred, or de-coat Taint/Tabor before melting to improve density and reduce organic contamination.

Who Uses Taint/Tabor Scrap

Taint/Tabor is consumed primarily by secondary aluminium smelters producing flat-rolled aluminium sheet products via the can-sheet, auto-body, or general sheet recycling route. In North America and Europe, dedicated “closed-loop” recycling operations convert Taint/Tabor back into flat-rolled sheet coil for the automotive and packaging industries. In India, Taint/Tabor is consumed by secondary smelters and ingot producers who supply casting alloy ingots (typically A380, LM6, or equivalent) to die-casters in the automotive and consumer durables sectors. Aluminium de-coating and processing plants, which strip paint and organic coatings from Taint/Tabor before melting, are also significant buyers — they upgrade the material and resell it at a premium to smelters unwilling to handle coated sheet directly. Foundries producing general engineering castings, and manufacturers of aluminium structural components for construction and infrastructure, are additional downstream end-users of the secondary alloys derived from Taint/Tabor processing.

Market and Trade Notes

Taint/Tabor is among the highest-volume traded aluminium scrap grades, with consistent supply from vehicle recyclers, demolition contractors, and industrial scrap yards in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It is traded both in loose and baled form, with baled material preferred for container shipping due to improved density and load efficiency. The LME aluminium price and regional scrap premiums (AMM published prices in North America, CRU/MB assessments in Europe) serve as the primary pricing references. Indian importers and processors who handle significant Taint/Tabor volumes typically maintain relationships with US and Canadian brokers, large-scale auto-shredding operations, and European industrial scrap merchants.