The International Aluminium Institute joins partners across the beverage can value chain in New York on 22 September to make the economic case for recycling.
The International Aluminium Institute (IAI) will take part in Climate Week NYC 2026 as a co-host of Advancing Aluminium Recycling as a Business Opportunity, convened by the Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance (GBCCA).
Held during one of the year’s most significant gatherings on climate action, the event reframes recycling not simply as an environmental imperative but as a commercial one, exploring how investment, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration can drive growth while strengthening the competitiveness of the industry.
Event details
Date: 22 September 2026
Time: 3.00pm to 7.00pm ET
Location: 730 Third Avenue, Second Floor, New York City
Building the business case
This year’s programme continues a journey three editions in the making. In 2024, the GBCCA set out the environmental benefits of aluminium beverage can recycling. In 2025, the focus turned to the technologies driving greater circularity. In 2026, the alliance examines recycling as a strategic and economic opportunity, in step with Climate Week NYC’s theme of energy, impact, and action.
The session is hosted by Marlen Bertram, IAI’s Director of Scenarios and Forecasts.
Programme highlights
The two-hour technical session covers:
- Product Carbon Footprint Methodology for aluminium beverage cans
- 2026 Global Recycling Rates, including a regional deep dive into Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and India
- Case studies on creating profitability through strategic investment in diverting cans from municipal solid waste
- A Tech and Investment Lab on advancing recycling as a business opportunity
- A soft launch of the 2027 Global Aluminium Can Sustainability Summit
A two-hour networking reception follows, offering space for deeper discussion on industry solutions and partnerships.
A collaboration across the value chain
Advancing Aluminium Recycling as a Business Opportunity is co-hosted by the International Aluminium Institute, the US Aluminum Association, and the Can Manufacturers Institute. The programme brings together expertise from across the sector, with contributions from Ball, Crown, Ardagh, Novelis, Nespresso, Canpack, AMP, WBCSD, The Recycling Partnership, Closed Loop Partners, and Eunomia Research and Consulting.
New for 2026: facility site visits
For the first time, attendees can join one of two exclusive site visits alongside the main event:
- A tour of a New Jersey material recovery facility, featuring equipment investments supported by a leading beverage brand, on 21 September
- A visit to an AI-powered recycling facility in Virginia on 23 September, showcasing how artificial intelligence separates recyclables from municipal solid waste
