IAI initiative makes UBC recycling recommendations

The Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance, established by the London-based International Aluminium Institute (IAI), has launched a global advocacy plan to boost the global recycling rate of aluminum used beverage cans (UBCs).

The plan, developed by Germany-based consulting firm Roland Berger and announced in coordination with the Climate Week NYC event in New York, identifies actions, investments and policies based on domestic can usage, waste management systems and socioeconomic factors in 140 countries.

“This discussion at Climate Week NYC demonstrates the power of collaboration across the beverage can value chain," says Scott Breen of the Washington-based Can Manufacturers Institute. "By aligning our efforts, voices and resources, the beverage can industry will achieve higher recycling rates and create a more sustainable future.”

The recommendations are country- and region-specific. The research suggests Colombia, Uganda and Vietnam could achieve a 90 percent UBC recycling rate and near 100 percent can-to-can recycling within three to 10 years by investing in their informal collection network and recycling sectors.

Countries such as the United States, United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Malaysia, meanwhile, could boost recycling rates by 20 percent by 2030 through measures such as incentivizing collection via source separation and overcoming logistical hurdles, according to the IAI alliance.

“Circularity is a key driver to decarbonize the aluminum beverage packaging value chain," says Piere Lebat, chief sustainability officer of Atlanta-based recycled-content aluminum producer Novelis Inc. "I am excited about accelerating the collaboration started at COP28 to improve can-to-can circularity in more geographies.”

The plan also identifies countries—including the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan and Spain—that it indicates can most likely support a deposit-return system (DRS) to further enhance recycling and can-to-can-recycling rates.

The report claims recycling UBCs currently landfilled in the U.S. would offset 18 percent of the country’s aluminum imports. The report singles out Florida and Texas as states where the volume of UBCs currently landfilled is significant.

“Each year, 12 12-packs of aluminum cans end up in landfills for every person in the U.S.—the equivalent of throwing away around $1 billion," says Matt Meenan, vice president at the Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia. "Recycling these cans could save enough energy to power 2 million homes for a year. The status quo on aluminum can recycling is not acceptable and it’s time to start thinking outside the box on new ways to bring back this vital material.”