Economic and Environmental Analysis of Aluminium Recycling from Retired Commercial Aircraft
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear Authors,
I would like to congratulate to your research and paper! You are dealing with a very important topic as aluminium recycling from retired commercial aircraft. While the concept of circular economy is widely known and used, the recycling of retired commercial aircrafts did not get yet an appropriate attention, nevertheless the aircrafts contains a huge amount of Al, as well other metals and non-metals, along with the climate issues as emmission rediction up to 95%, etc.
The research you carried out has revealed due to precise calculations the huge potential of Al recycling from the retired commercial aircrafts, at the same time showed the economic obstacles of such recycling. Your conclusion drawn are the only proper conclusions: the proactive policy measures are needed. Very nice considerations are made concerning the complexity of the retired commercial aircraft recycling: alongwith the environmental and economic impacts the social issues are also taken into account.
Looking rorward to your newer results and wihing you Good Luck!
Author Response
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Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis manuscript presents a well-structured and timely analysis of the economic and environmental feasibility of aluminium recycling from retired narrow-body commercial aircraft. The study addresses a relevant gap in the literature by integrating material flow analysis, cost-benefit modelling, and lifecycle assessment into a unified framework. The topic aligns well with the scope of Sustainability, particularly in the areas of circular economy, resource efficiency, and decarbonisation. The manuscript is generally well-written, methodologically sound, and supported by credible data sources.
There are some improvements should be made before publication.
- In the section of literature, please add a short paragraph explicitly stating how this study advances beyond existing literature, and expand on the challenges of alloy contamination and certification barriers to closed-loop recycling.
- In the section of results, please discuss the realism of carbon credit prices in current markets (e.g., EU ETS vs. voluntary markets). and include a sensitivity analysis for resale value and carbon price in the results or discussion.
- It is better to expand on policy recommendations with specific examples (e.g., EU-style EPR for aviation).
Author Response
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Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe paper, titled “Economic & Environmental Analysis of Aluminium Recycling from Retired Commercial Aircraft,” focuses on recycling narrow-body aircraft from the Airbus and Boeing families, concentrating on aluminum and its alloys as the primary components of the airframe. The authors have collected extensive data from the literature and proposed a mathematical model to estimate the costs and income associated with this recycling process.
These considerations are important and useful, especially given the current geopolitical situation and the growing number of aircraft being retired from service. The authors have consciously established the assumptions necessary for their calculations. It's clear that accessing raw data directly from aircraft manufacturers or recycling companies is practically impossible, and the approach presented in the paper is as realistic as it can be. However, the result is more of an estimation than a precise calculation.
The paper follows a typical structure, posing four main questions at the beginning which are then addressed and answered in the conclusions. It is worth underlining that the authors not only studied the recycling process in terms of cost and income but also calculated the impacts of carbon pricing, as well as environmental and social factors. Importantly, they also plan to expand their study into a wider framework in the future. I see this article as a valuable starting point and a reference for tracking future changes in pricing, legal regulations, and other factors that affect the economic outcome of aluminum recycling.
Given that the article is an interesting contribution to the sustainable management of metal recycling from aircraft, it can, in my opinion, be published without major or minor changes. As the authors are native speakers, the quality of the English is high.
Minor Editorial Comment: On page 3, line 4, there is a double space between "relevance." and "The...".
Feedback for Future Research: Please note that the dismantling cost from 2005, even when adjusted for inflation, may be significantly affected by technological developments over the last 20 years. In the recycling sector, the automation of dismantling and separation processes for different metal grades often leads to obtaining more valuable fractions at a lower cost due to reduced time consumption. This trend has been particularly observable in scrap metal processing over the last decade. It might be helpful to review information from research projects focused on the mechanical separation of aluminum scrap, several of which have been carried out within various European project frameworks. It may also be beneficial to contact recycling associations (e.g., the European Recycling Platform, The Aluminium Association, etc.) to obtain less accessible raw data on this type of recycling.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
