INDUSTRY VALUE CHAIN LAUNCHES U.S. AEROSOL RECYCLING INITIATIVE.

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and the Household and Commercial Products Association (HCPA) have joined forces to launch an aerosol recycling initiative with the support of nearly 20 U.S. companies. throughout the aerosol value chain to increase access to aerosol recycling and recyclability messages on packaging.

The goal is none other than to achieve by 2030 a recycling access rate of at least 85% for all aerosol cans and to label at least 90% of aerosols as recyclable with messages on how to recycle them properly.

Nicholas Georges, HCPA’s senior vice president of scientific and international affairs confirms that “aerosol cans continue to deliver the recyclable packaging that consumers increasingly demand, but not enough U.S. households have access to a recycling program that accepts these products,” adding that “the aerosol industry is collaborating with each other, allied trade associations and external partners to conduct a variety of activities that will result in more households having the ability to recycle their aerosol cans more conveniently.”

In this regard both CMI and HCPA are respectively employing a team of experts in order to implement the activities of the first year of the initiative. MRFs do the important job of sorting single stream recyclables. Another team member, Eunomia Research & Consulting, is a data-driven consultancy that specializes in achieving better environmental outcomes. Jensen Hughes also participates to provide technical safety expertise with its staff of engineers and scientists.

“The aerosol industry has proactively teamed up with a team of experts to ensure that the infinitely recyclable aluminum and steel in aerosol cans remain in use,” confirms Scott Breen, CMI’s vice president of sustainability. “This will significantly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and further help society achieve a more circular economy,” Breen concludes.