EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. is a partnership between aluminum beverage can manufacturers (Ardagh Metal Packaging, CANPACK, Crown Holdings and Envases) and aluminum suppliers (Constellium, Kaiser Aluminum, Novelis and Tri-Arrows Aluminum). These partners are passionate about encouraging people to do the right thing with their empty beverage cans by recycling them.
The vision of the new chapter is to significantly increase the amount of aluminum beverage cans collected and recycled in the United States by focusing on out-of-home beverage can collection. These efforts are part of a multi-pronged strategy to move towards the ambitious aluminum can recycling targets set by the members of the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). These goals include moving from the current U.S. aluminum can recycling rate of 45%. to a 70% recycling rate by 2030.
To kick-start its out-of-home recycling efforts, EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. joins the City of New Orleans and many local organizations in the Recycle Dat initiative to make the 2024 Mardi Gras parades more sustainable. This year’s initiative hopes to surpass 1,475 pounds of aluminum beverage cans (nearly 150,000 individual cans) recycled during the 2023 parade season from those collected along the parade route and those sold to a local metal recycling facility.
For the 2024 parade season, Recycle Dat is adding more Recycle Dat Recycling Points and Exclusive Can Receptacles along the Uptown Mardi Gras parade route and at the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center. This will make it easier for parade attendees to recycle their empty aluminum cans, glass bottles and beads. Local volunteers will promote the Recycle Dat program by operating the centers and informing attendees about the importance of recycling. Some of these volunteers will be carrying special EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. backpacks into which parade attendees can directly insert their aluminum cans for recycling.
EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. will take all collected empty aluminum beverage cans to EMR Metal Recycling’s Mid-City location, which regularly purchases used beverage cans. EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. will double the market price up to the first $5,000 and will donate the proceeds to three local charities – NOLA Cans 4 Food, Pontchartrain Conservancy and Zeus’ Rescues.
In addition to this collection along the parade route, EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. will also encourage members of the New Orleans community to bring their used aluminum beverage cans to the EMR Metal Recycling Mid-City facility to earn cash back. Used beverage cans are one of the most valuable recyclable products, and EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. is making the financial reward even greater by doubling the market price payment up to the first $5,000. Community members can get a personal check for the value of their empty beverage cans plus duplication or have the money go to the three local charities.
“Supporting Recycle Dat at Mardi Gras is the perfect way to launch EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. because it brings can recycling to an event where many beverages are consumed in aluminum cans, but there is essentially no public space to recycle them once empty.” Scott Breen, CMI’s senior vice president of sustainability, said. “We are delighted to use EVERY CAN COUNTS’ innovative engagement tactics in a variety of locations to keep aluminum cans out of landfills; instead, recycled aluminum will generate significant environmental and economic benefits time and time again since METAL RECYCLES FOREVER.”
While the chapter’s primary goal will be to partner with more organizers and venues to facilitate aluminum beverage can recycling at festivals and events, it will also leverage social media to educate people about the benefits of recycling and inspire them to make more sustainable choices. To reward its followers for recycling, EVERY CAN COUNTS U.S. will launch a contest on Instagram during Mardi Gras with daily drawings for gift cards to a local New Orleans brewery and a $200 grand prize gift card to a local sustainably-minded restaurant.
Every can counts: Greece launches pilot campaign to encourage can recycling
New recycling exhibition in W5 Belfast
Every Can Counts Announces National Recycling Award Winners
Every Can Counts Serbia leads can recycling at Exit Festival
The aluminum can recycling effort
CMI collaborates with the pilot project Recycle Dat
new immersive exhibition on can recycling
ALUPRO LAUNCHES AEROSOL RECYCLING INITIATIVE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
