Study finds aluminum cans most recycled beverage containers

Aluminum cans are the most recycled beverage container on the market today, according to a new report, “The Aluminum Can Advantage: Key Sustainability Indicators 2015,” released by the Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and available at www.aluminum.org/canadvantage.com.

Recycling of aluminum beverage cans has risen significantly during the past decade. Since the early 2000s, the industry recycling rate (including imported cans) has risen more than 14 points to near 67 percent; the consumer recycling rate has risen 12 points to near 57 percent.

The aluminum can has the highest recycling rate of any beverage container and contains 70 percent recycled content on average—more than three times the recycled content of glass or plastic (PET) bottles. The study also found that aluminum can recycled material is worth nearly 300 percent more per ton than plastic or glass.