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Recycling practices are adding up

People have been recycling cans for a while now, and it's making a difference. There's been a 2.2 percentage point increase in aluminum can recycling rates, the largest gain in recycling rates in ten years, say the Aluminum Association, the Can Manufacturers Institute, and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. In 2007, Americans and the aluminum industry recycled nearly 54 billion infinitely recyclable aluminum cans, nearly two billion more than in 2006. At a recycling rate of 53.8 percent, the aluminum can is by far the most recycled beverage container in the United States.

"This increase in the recycling rate demonstrates the serious commitment to recycling by the aluminum industry," says Kevin Anton, chairman of the Aluminum Association, and also the vice president of Alcoa and president of Alcoa Materials Management, Inc. "The aluminum can is environmentally sustainable. Our industry is committed to doing the right thing and continuing to work to increase the number of aluminum cans recycled annually."

"The practice of recycling aluminum cans provides environmental, economic, and social benefits to communities and organizations across the country," adds Robert Budway, president of the Can Manufacturers Institute. "Recycling saves energy. Recycling 40 aluminum beverage cans has the energy-saving equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. During 2007, Americans recycled enough aluminum cans to conserve the energy equivalent of over 15 million barrels of oil. (By the way, hundreds of communities have benefited from the best practices and resources shared online at www.recyclecurbside.org.)

The aluminum beverage can is 100 percent recyclable into new beverage cans indefinitely - a demonstration of recycling at its finest. Today's lightweight beverage can weighs only 0.468 ounces with 34.17 cans per pound of aluminum. The can is the only beverage container that more than covers the cost of collection and re-processing for itself. It also helps subsidize the collection of other recyclable materials.