Europe aluminium can recycling gains pace, targets 100% by 2030

The interview with Krassimira Kazashka, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe, highlights the steady progress and future potential of aluminium beverage can recycling across Europe. It explores how robust infrastructure, supported by Deposit Return Schemes and evolving EU regulations like the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), is driving higher recovery rates and circularity. Kazashka emphasises the role of policy engagement, resource security, and scrap retention in strengthening the regional aluminium value chain. Looking ahead, she outlines the industry’s ambition to achieve 100 per cent recycling by 2030, underpinned by innovation, regulatory support, and efficient collection systems.

Krassimira Kazashka is the CEO of Metal Packaging Europe since November 2023. Prior to joining MPE, she worked for European associations in the paper packaging sector, a multinational company, the national government and the European Commission. As a professional, she had extensive experience in sustainability, circular economy, eco-design, packaging and packaging waste, chemicals, food contact and trade policy.

Krassimira holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering, a European MSc in Environmental protection and an MBA.

1. What is the current recycling infrastructure scenario across EU member states? In what way does it impact aluminium beverage can recovery?

Recycling performance for aluminium beverage cans in Europe is strong and continues to improve, with a recycling rate of 76.3 per cent in 2023 supported by good recycling infrastructure.

In many European countries, beverage cans are increasingly moving from traditional household waste collection under Extended Producer Responsibility to Deposit Return Schemes (DRS). Recent evidence highlights how quickly recycling performance can improve following the introduction of DRS. Countries with established systems set the benchmark, with Germany and Finland achieving recycling rates of 99 per cent for aluminium beverage cans.

The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) reinforces this momentum by requiring Member States to reach a 90 per cent separate collection rate for beverage containers by 2029 driving faster adoption of proven DRS approaches.

Together, these trends highlight clear momentum. As more countries implement effective systems, collection and recycling rates will continue to rise, enabling a fully circular loop and can-to-can recycling.

2. In what way is the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) supporting the circularity of aluminium beverage packaging?

The PPWR reinforces requirements for high-quality recycling, effective separate collection and sorting systems, and the preservation of material quality. It also introduces harmonised requirements to ensure that packaging is recyclable by design and effectively recycled at scale, thus strengthening circularity across the EU.

Aluminium beverage cans are a leading example of high-quality, closed-loop recycling, and the PPWR provides a framework to scale this circular model across Europe. The Aluminium industry estimates that 75 per cent of the aluminium ever produced is still in use or in circulation today, largely due to the nature of this permanent material.

3. How does Metal Packaging Europe engage with EU institutions to ensure aluminium beverage packaging is fairly represented in circular economy legislation?

Metal Packaging Europe (MPE) engages with EU institutions on a regular basis by responding to consultations, sharing concrete proposals and position papers, and providing technical expertise and data to support effective, evidence-based decision-making.

We also organise meetings with the European Commission, European Parliament and Council, participate at events and social dialogues and advocate to secure a fair legal framework for the aluminium beverage packaging.

4. In the context of evolving EU trade rules and sustainability regulations, how can aluminium recycling strengthen regional resource security and reduce reliance on imported primary metal?

Aluminium recycling plays a central role in strengthening Europe’s resource security. By keeping valuable material in circulation, it reduces reliance on imported primary aluminium and supports a more resilient and self-sufficient supply chain.

An important aspect is to retain high-quality aluminium scrap, like used beverage containers (UBCs), within Europe to sustain closed-loop recycling and maximise circularity. This also delivers significant climate benefits, as recycled aluminium saves about 94 per cent of the energy needed for primary production.

5. Looking ahead, what do you see as the defining milestone for aluminium beverage can circularity in Europe, and which necessary measures must be adopted to reach it?

The aluminium beverage can industry has the ambition to reach 100 per cent recycling by 2030. The defining milestone is a fully functioning European can-to-can value loop, where used beverage cans are consistently collected, sorted and recycled into new aluminium beverage cans “made in Europe”.

Achieving this will depend on the widespread implementation of effective collection systems, particularly deposit return schemes (DRS), as well as strong EU policy measures to retain high-quality aluminium scrap in Europe.

A supportive regulatory framework that provides recognition of permanent materials, exemption from reuse targets, combined with continued investment and innovation across the value chain, will be essential to deliver both circularity and climate objectives, enabling aluminium beverage cans to realise their full circular potential.