Brazilian UBC Recycling Rate Tops 90 Percent

The Brazilian Aluminum Association (Abal) and the Brazilian Association of Manufacturers of Cans High Recyclability (ABRALATAS) report that the country recycled 91.5 percent of UBCs sold in the domestic market in 2008. According to the two entities, 165.8 thousand tons of scrap cans were collected for recycling last year.

This result keeps the world leader in Brazil for the eighth consecutive year. Even with a slightly lower rate, the amount collected in 2008 was 3.2 percent higher than recorded in 2007, while sales of aluminum cans for beverages grew 8.8 percent in the same period.

The fall in the level of industrial activity in the last quarter of 2008 explains the difference in growth between the sale and recycling of cans. Important segments of consumers of scrap cans, as the foundry, steel and ferroalloys, production has fallen dramatically and therefore the purchase of raw materials. This has made the recycling companies to reduce their purchases at the end of the year, causing an increase in stock traders of scrap, since no reduction was found in the collection of material.

"The result of the recycling of aluminum cans in 2008 proved once again that the sustainability of the entire chain, from collection to processing industry, is definitely consolidated in Brazil. A clear demonstration of the effort that promoted this activity brings many benefits to the country, the environment, economy and society in general, even considering the difficulties faced in the last quarter of the year, arising from the global economic crisis "reinforces Henio De Nicola, coordinator Commission Recycling ABAL.