Aluminum Cans are Recycled at Almost Double the Rate of Plastic Bottles

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The report released by The Aluminum Association and the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) suggests that aluminum cans continued to remain as the most sustainable packaging. The report titled ‘The Aluminum Can Advantage: Sustainability Key Performance Indicators 2020’ notes that aluminum cans were being recycled by consumers at almost double the rate of plastic bottles.

According to the report, the aluminum cans manufactured in the U.S. contains an average 73% recycled content. This is significantly higher when compared with the recycled content of 23% and 6% for glass bottles and plastic. Also, aluminum can scrap is more valuable than glass and plastic.

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The industry recycling rate, which includes the recycling of used beverage cans by the U.S. industry, including imported and exported, was 55.9% in 2019, as compared with 63.6% in 2018. The consumer recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans dropped from 49.8% in 2018 to 46.1% in 2019. The value per ton of aluminum cans was $1,210 per ton, compared with $237 per ton for plastic and negative $21 per ton for glass.

Tom Dobbins, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association noted that the aluminum industry is committed to bringing as many used beverage containers as possible back into the system.