Subsidies for higher-precision recycling and greater profit.

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), a trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the United States, will grant subsidies in 2021 to the Material Recovery Facility to invest in aluminium can capture equip­ment, ensuring that cans of used bev­erages are classified , sell and recycle accurately. The capture and recycling of aluminium cans provides a positive environmental and economic impact, as metal is recycled forever, because cans of used beverages are often con­verted into new cans.

Used beverage cans are often the most valuable products in the residential re­cycling flow, but 25% of them are poor­ly classified, which remains effective in the final result of the process. To this end, the grant programme, funded by beverage aluminium can manufactur­ers Ardagh Group and Crown Holdings, will provide clear examples of the effi­ciency and revenue impact “that addi­tional aluminium can capture equip­ment can have for Material Recovery Facilities”. The results are expected to encourage more such facilities to invest in additional aluminium can capture equipment.

According to the Institute of Can Manu­facturers’ Vice President of Sustainabili­ty Scott Breen, with this grant program, “the beverage aluminium can industry is demonstrating its commitment to leveraging industry-leading beverage packaging recycling rates.” By improv­ing the classification of used beverage cans, the benefits will be significantly improved: “significant additional in­come for recyclers and will generate significant reductions in carbon emis­sions from increased use of recycled aluminium”.

According to the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), the can industry rep­resents the annual domestic produc­tion of approximately 119 billion cans for food, beverages and general lines; employs more than 28,000 people with plants in 33 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa; and generates about $17.8 billion in direct economic activity.