Aluminum Can Council Celebrates Recycling Efforts

This America Recycles Day, the aluminum can industry is announcing and celebrating its efforts to increase aluminum can recycling rates, while encouraging Americans to get involved in recycling today and every other day of the year.

"More options exist today than ever before for individuals and communities to participate in recycling initiatives," Jim Fisher of the Aluminum Can Council and VP of Ball Corp. says. "Americans can recycle at home via curbside programs that exist in over 50 percent of communities. They can recycle to benefit numerous charities nationwide, including ones like Habitat for Humanity, which operates in over 1,400 communities. They can recycle at school, at church and at work. It's never been easier."  Fisher adds, "We hope that by helping communities find more opportunities to expand their recycling programs, more people will find a way that works for them."

The Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute have joined forces in the Aluminum Can Council (ACC) to promote recycling, sponsoring the following programs:

• Curbside Value Partnership

The Curbside Value Partnership (CVP) is a national partnership between the ACC and material recovery facility (MRF) operators, city officials and organizations interested in recycling created to increase residential participation in local curbside recycling programs and make the programs more profitable and sustainable. The CVP was formed by members of the ACC and is based on research, pilot programs and best practices around the country. The partnership has worked with city officials in communities including Denver; Kansas City, Mo.; Orlando, Indian River County and Brevard County, Fla.; and Dallas to improve their curbside recycling efforts.

• Aluminum Can Challenge

The Aluminum Can Challenge collects and recycles used aluminum beverage cans for local charities. The ACC encourages aluminum can
manufacturing facilities and their employees to participate in recycling aluminum cans across their communities. The challenge began Sept. 1 and ends Nov. 15, America Recycles Day. The top three facilities with the highest number of cans recycled per capita will have $500 donated to the charities they choose. The aluminum recycling facility recycling the most per capita wins a $500 check for their selected local charity.

• School Programs

The ACC works with schools nationwide to educate and inform children, teachers and parents about the importance of recycling using the Recycle Challenge and two curriculums, the ABCs of Environmental Education and Talkin' Trash with ABCs. Both curriculums are available for download at http://www.cancentral.com

• Cans for Habitat

Cans for Habitat is a partnership between the Aluminum Association and
Habitat for Humanity International. Money earned from recycled aluminum cans goes directly to the construction of Habitat homes in communities around the country. Since the Cans for Habitat program began in 1997, 11.3 million pounds of aluminum cans have been recycled nationally by and for Habitat affiliates --an equivalent of more than $4 million, according to the ACC, all of which has gone to the construction of more than 92 Habitat houses.  

Additional information on each of these programs is available on line by visiting the following Web sites:

• http://www.aluminum.org
• http://www.RecycleCurbside.org
• http://www.cansforhabitat.org
• http://www.cancentral.com.