European Aluminium and Metal Packaging Europe launch roadmap toward 100% beverage can recycling by 2030

25 Mar 2021 --- European Aluminium and Metal Packaging Europe are launching a joint roadmap toward achieving 100 percent aluminum beverage can recycling by 2030.

The roadmap is said to reflect the conviction among aluminum cansheet producers, beverage can manufacturers and recyclers that 100 percent aluminum beverage can recycling can be achieved in the next ten years.

According to European Aluminium and Metal Packaging Europe, aluminum beverage can recycling in Europe hit a record 76.1 percent in 2018.

However, under the recently amended Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, more ambitious EU 2025 and 2030 recycling targets for aluminum packaging have been adopted together with a new EU-wide calculation method.

Four target areas
The roadmap targets four key areas to bring aluminum beverage can recycling rates up to 100 percent in Europe:

1. Improving curbside and on-the-go collection systems.
2. Increasing efficiency in sorting infrastructure and addressing information recycling effectively.
3. Recovering aluminum from bottom ash treatment.
4. Informing and engaging consumers effectively.

Oliver Graham, chairman of the Beverage Can Commission at Metal Packaging Europe, comments: “Made from a permanent and infinitely recyclable material, easily sorted and efficiently recycled, and with a high end-of-life economic value, the aluminum beverage can is well-suited for ‘real circularity.’”

Aluminum beverage can recycling in Europe hit a record 76.1% in 2018.“With this in mind, achieving a 100 percent recycling rate for beverage cans by 2030 is a realistic aim, based on maximizing the circular potential of the aluminum beverage can.”

Andy Doran, chairman of European Aluminium adds: “While we are confident we can achieve this ambitious target, it will require the participation and support of the entire value chain.”

“We call on our partners, including brand owners, retailers, consumers, packaging recovery organizations, recyclers and others, to work with us to further improve the collection of cans, as part of a joint mission to fully close the loop.”

European Commission support
Kestutis Sadauskas, director for circular economy and green growth at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Environment, also welcomes the initiative: “The aluminum industry can be praised for its efforts to improve the recyclability rate of aluminum beverage packaging. But work remains to be done.”

“Our ambition is that all packaging put on the EU market in 2030 is either recyclable or reusable. A transformative joint effort is necessary to make all packaging circular, to reduce inefficiency and environmental impact, and I do not underestimate the challenge.”

“The Commission acknowledges the importance of aluminum as a resource toward a circular and low carbon economy. We must also play our part, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility will provide large-scale financial support to investments.”

PackagingInsights recently explored the latest in beverage can innovation with international suppliers Crown and Canpack and the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) (US) and Metal Packaging Europe trade associations.

Edited by Joshua Poole