Industry Sustainability

IAI-Industry&Sustainability
IAI-Recycling

Aluminium Beverage Can Recycling In The U.S.

Published in

2024

Aluminium can recycling has a pivotal role to play in creating a more sustainable and economically robust future for the United States. The U.S. is the biggest user of aluminium beverage cans worldwide, followed by China and Europe. Aluminium cans are more than just convenient beverage containers. They represent a critical opportunity for sustainable resource management in the United States. Increasing the recycling rates of aluminium cans is paramount for multiple environmental and economic reasons.

Recycling reduces carbon emissions and energy consumption, and enhances the production of low-carbon aluminium products. In the U.S., over the past three years, secondary producers have invested over $7 billion in recycling and rolling mill infrastructure, which includes significant capacity for aluminium can sheet. 

Aluminium recycling saves 95% of the energy needed for primary production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 90% globally.

By improving recycling rates, the U.S. can strengthen its supply chain resilience through increased reliance on domestic resources.

Download attachments from this resource.

Related Resources

IAI-GreenhouseGases
IAI-Industry&Sustainability

Aluminium’s power is in its versatility. From transforming transport and shaping smart cities to offering infinite recyclability, discover everything there is to know about this resourceful metal.

...

Published in

IAI-GreenhouseGases
IAI-Industry&Sustainability

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology could be a key pillar in achieving full decarbonisation of aluminium smelting, according to a new report from AFRY commissioned by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). The comprehensive study, which examines the technical and economic feasibility of retrofitting CCS technology to existing aluminium potlines, ...

Published in

IAI-GreenhouseGases
IAI-Industry&Sustainability

This study builds upon Eunomia’s previous studies into materials decarbonisation pathways. The scope of this report is focused on aluminium in comparison to four competing materials— steel, copper, container glass, PVC —taken from the perspective of their global value chains. The analysis looks at the Net Zero pathways that are ...

Published in