Health & Safety Overview
When working with aluminium and its alloys—whether during processing, fabrication, or recycling—health and safety considerations remain a top priority. Fortunately, aluminium is widely recognised as inert, non-toxic, and non-reactive under standard conditions of use. It has a long-standing record of safe performance across a wide range of industries and applications.
Extensive research and testing have confirmed that aluminium presents minimal health risks when handled appropriately. This is supported by decades of practical application and regulatory assessment.
Product Assurance and Quality Standards
We only supply standardised, certified aluminium and aluminium alloys that are proven to be safe for their intended use. To ensure consistent quality and safety:
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All our suppliers operate facilities certified to the ISO 9001 quality management standard.
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Our own Sales and Distribution Service Centres are also fully certified to ISO 9001.
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We do not stock or sell any material outside of established specifications and safety thresholds.
For technical documentation, including Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), please refer to this link from a world-leading aluminium manufacturer:
View Aluminium MSDS Datasheets
Environmental Compliance: RoHS & WEEE Directives
Understanding WEEE
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive applies to manufacturers of electrical and electronic products. It has two primary goals:
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Responsibility for end-of-life recycling: Manufacturers must ensure their products can be collected and recycled efficiently.
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Reduction of hazardous substances: WEEE references the RoHS Directive to limit environmentally harmful materials during production.
RoHS Directive: Restricted Substances
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive sets strict limits on the use of certain substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The maximum permissible levels are:
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Lead (Pb) – 0.1% by weight
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Mercury (Hg) – 0.1%
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Cadmium (Cd) – 0.01%
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Hexavalent Chromium (Cr⁶⁺) – 0.1%
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Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) – 0.1%
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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) – 0.1%
Permissible Exceptions (RoHS Clause)
Some materials are exempt under specific conditions:
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Lead in steel (including stainless): up to 0.35%
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Lead in aluminium: up to 0.40%
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Lead in copper alloys: up to 4.00%
Our Compliance Statement
We work closely with certified suppliers to ensure full compliance with all applicable safety and environmental regulations. As a result:
We confirm that all aluminium and aluminium alloy materials we supply conform to the limits outlined in the European RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC).
This includes the following substances, which are all maintained below maximum permitted levels:
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Lead (Pb)
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Cadmium (Cd)
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Mercury (Hg)
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Hexavalent Chromium (Cr⁶⁺)
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Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)
Important Note on Material Standards
In rare cases, a customer may request a material grade that, according to British, European, or International standards, permits levels of restricted substances above RoHS thresholds. In such instances, the supplied material will conform strictly to those applicable standards.
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