In Europe, around 570,000 tons of aluminum beverage cans are recycled, equivalent to a recycling rate of 76%.

This demonstrates an effort by European countries to promote recycling and sustainability in the consumption of products packaged with this material.

Aluminum collection and recycling in the European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland totaled 570,000 tons in 2021. This number represents an increase of 60,000 tons over the previous year. The latest data from Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium show that a recycling rate of 76% has been achieved for beverage cans made of aluminum, an increase of 3.2% and setting a new record for this material.

Recycling rates have increased for beverage can manufacturers and their aluminum suppliers, according to testimony from Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium. This demonstrates the efforts made by the industry and the supply chain to improve the recovery of this material.

Some European Union countries are still working to achieve a recycling rate of 90% or more (see graph below). In fact, the industry is in favor of setting more ambitious targets for the separate collection of beverage containers, such as aluminum cans, as proposed in the EU Packaging Regulation.

Both organizations are calling on countries to establish balanced deposit, return and refund (DRS) systems, as this will help move towards a fully circular solution for beverage can recycling. Although used cans can be easily recycled into other aluminum products, such as car or bicycle parts, packaging manufacturers are looking to increase the recycled content in their new cans. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems need to supply sufficient used and separately sorted cans to re-melt plants to achieve this, which can only be ensured through a DRS. This was confirmed by Maarten Labberton, head of European Aluminium’s Packaging Group.

According to research, the recycling rate of beverage cans in the European Union has increased to 76.1%. Aluminum can recycling to reach 76% milestone by 2021 Aluminum industry leads climate action at COP28 with commitment to full can recycling by 2050 Aluminum beverage cans remain the most sustainable beverage package in the US. EUROPE SET A NEW RECORD FOR CANS RECYCLED IN 2019 ALUMINUM BEVERAGE CAN RECYCLING REMAINS AT A HIGH 76%. MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CAN MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE PLEDGE TO ACHIEVE 70% RECYCLING RATE BY 2030 Aluminium beverage can recycling reached record high in UK Roadmap to 100% Aluminium Beverage Can Recycling Making a can from recycled aluminum saves more than 90% of the energy needed to make a new can.