USA: Study shows benefits of recycling aluminium cans

A new study shows significant benefits of boosting aluminium can recycling in US.

Ball Corporation and consulting firm Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) have released a new nationwide study showing the economic and environmental benefits of improving the aluminium can recycling rate in the United States to 90 % – an increase from the current rate of 38 %.

Infinitely recyclable and economically valuable, aluminium is among the most sustainable beverage packaging materials, “and when recycled, uses 92 % less energy than virgin material and supports increased supply of domestic recycled metal”, Ball stated. In 2021, Ball released its vision for increased circularity across the industry in the Towards a Perfect Circle Report (2021). The report details a vision for the industry to achieve a 90 % global recycling rate of aluminium. The new study from RRS and Ball demonstrates the environmental and economic impact of achieving this goal in the US.

The new study entitled “Recycling Aluminium Cans Is Good Business” indicates that a substantial improvement of the US aluminium recycling rate would provide the following benefits:

• Contribute more than 100,000 jobs in collection, sorting, and reprocessing to the US economy;
• More than double total waste collection and recycling industry wages to USD5 billion;
• Generate USD 1.6 bn in economic activity through material sales;
• Keep 1.3 m t of materials out of landfills each year;
• Save enough energy to power 1.5 m homes for a year; and
• Reduce GHG emissions by 12.1 m t of CO2 annually – equivalent to taking 2.6 m cars off the road for a year.

“There is no question the market for more recycled aluminium is there, and so is the potential for huge energy savings and job creation,” said John Hayes, chairman of Ball Corporation. “That’s why we’re advocating for smart recycling policies at the state and federal level that can help the US reduce our dependence on imported materials, strengthen our domestic supply chain and make these benefits a reality.”

“The benefits of increasing aluminium recycling rates in this country are very clear,” said Marisa Adler, senior consultant at RRS. “Now it’s up to leaders at the state and federal level to develop a policy roadmap for making the most of this opportunity.”

The “Recycling Aluminium Cans Is Good Business” analysis was compiled using 2021 data sourced from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Aluminum Association and Ball Corporation. The analysis also demonstrates how improved recycling enhances the domestic supply chain of aluminium in the US and decreases the reliance on primary aluminium imports. The study includes factsheets and data for all 50 states.

RRS used state recycling rate data from the 50 States of Recycling Report (2021) to determine baselines. Notably, while the Aluminum Association has reported a 45.2 % consumer recycling rate for aluminium cans, the RRS analysis uses 38 % as the national baseline to reflect the percentage of aluminium that actually makes it to remelting facilities, after material losses that occur during collection and sorting. Unfortunately, collection and recycling are not synonymous. As detailed in Ball’s Towards a Perfect Circle Report (2021), boosting collection rates exponentially increases the amount of recycled material that is kept in the loop over the long term.