The aluminum recyclable can usage hugely helps the environment through lower energy usage, carbon output, and landfill waste. Aluminum is recyclable 100% of the time and keeps its quality forever, unlike plastic, which gets worse with each recycle. As estimated by the Aluminum Association, close to 75% of all the aluminum that has ever been produced is still in use today, so it is one of the most eco-friendly packaging materials there are.
One of the important benefits is energy efficiency in aluminum recycling. It takes 95% more energy to produce new aluminum from raw bauxite ore than to recycle used aluminum. Recycling a can saves as much energy as to power a 60-watt light bulb for four hours or a television set for three hours. Recycling aluminum cans produces 90% less carbon dioxide than producing new aluminum, with lower greenhouse gas emission and contribute to the mitigation of climate change.
The rate of recycling for aluminum cans is much better than that for plastic and glass. Aluminum cans were recycled at a 69% rate in 2022, while that for plastic bottles was below 9%. The recycled aluminum can is recycled again to form a new one after 60 days by melting and stocking it again in stores, hence a closed loop to lower the rate of resource depletion.
In comparison to plastic packaging, which makes its way into the ocean and leads to microplastic pollution and ocean littering, aluminum is not an environmental pollutant. Plastic waste contributes to more than 8 million metric tons per year discarded into oceans, destroying marine life and ecosystems. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicts that by 2050, if the rate of waste continues as it has been going on, there will be a higher weight of plastic in the ocean than fish. On the other hand, aluminum cans are recycled and re-used many times more and hence are a greener choice for environmental sustainability.
Major beverage companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Anheuser-Busch have committed to increasing the recycled content of their aluminum cans to 50% by 2030, reducing their virgin material usage. Anheuser-Busch, in 2021, promised that 100% of its packaging would be recyclable or made with majority-recycled materials, reaffirming the industry’s commitment to sustainability.
Legendary environmentalist David Attenborough once said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” The adoption of aluminum recyclable cans directly contributes to a greener tomorrow by minimizing carbon footprints, conserving natural resources, and preventing waste accumulation. As industries and consumers continue to head in the direction of green solutions, aluminum remains the ideal material for green packaging and environmental conservation.