Scraps in different forms are the raw material source for the production of secondary aluminum. The residual materials are distinguished by their shape, the chemical composition and the content of volatile substances like water and organic components. The characterization of the raw material is essential because the further processing steps are depending on these parameters. The measuring of the moisture and the organic content as well as the behavior of the hydrocarbons as a result of increasing the temperature are the most important parts of this work. By comparing the system of the Austria Metall AG (AMAG) with experiments at the University of Leoben some influencing factors for the test result (e.g. moisture content, atmosphere, waste form) are evaluated. By thermogravimetric investigations process-relevant parameters, such as start and end temperature of the thermal conversion, are determined. In addition, the testing of an alternative procedure was performed for the determination of volatile substances. Based on the investigations, a comparison of the different measurement methods is possible. The seperation behavior of organic components from the aluminium base material by mechanical treatment was also tested.