A new report, conducted by third-party global management consultants Roland Berger in partnership with the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), has identified 20 short- and long-term strategies to strengthen recycling systems and increase beverage can recycling rates. Key markets such as Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and the UAE, where Crown operates, have been highlighted in the report.
These initiatives are crucial in keeping pace with the growing global consumption of beverage cans, which is projected to rise by 50 percent between 2020 and 2030. This increase is expected to generate approximately three million metric tons of used beverage cans (UBCs) annually during that period.
Enhancing global recycling systems will help ensure that a greater volume of aluminum is recycled instead of being sent to landfills. This is not only important for maintaining a closed loop for valuable materials and preserving natural resources, but also for reducing energy consumption and emissions associated with raw material production.
In addition to these benefits, a more sustainable carbon footprint for beverage cans would further enhance their existing attributes of infinite recyclability, high recycled content, and fast recycling turnaround time.
Marlen Bertram, director of scenarios and forecasts at IAI, highlighted the significance of recycling in reducing carbon emissions: “The carbon reduction potential of recycling cannot be underestimated; recycling has a huge role to play in the overall decarbonization of the aluminum industry, because recycling currently emits 0.6 metric tons of CO2e per metric ton compared to 16.6 metric tons of CO2e per metric ton for primary aluminum.”
Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, director of sustainability & external affairs at Crown, expressed the company’s commitment to promoting awareness and infrastructure development to achieve higher recovery rates for aluminum beverage cans worldwide. Through collaboration with the International Aluminium Association and Roland Berger, effective strategies have been identified for the four key markets where Crown operates. All stakeholders within the aluminum supply chain must take responsibility and implement these strategies. It is crucial for governments in these regions to recognize their role in establishing proper policy frameworks to support progress and reduce the carbon footprint through increased use of recycled aluminum.
