Pepsi becomes ‘first brand’ to adopt tinplate, aluminium can recycling marque

Pepsi has demonstrated its commitment to drinks can (aluminium or tinplate) recycling by becoming the first brand to feature the marque of a major European recycling initiative on pack.

Every Can Counts – or Jede Dose Zaehlt in German – has been encouraging consumers in Austria to reuse drinks cans properly since 2010. For the first time, the scheme’s emblem and call-to-action “please recycle” will appear on cans of Pepsi Cola, as well as Seven Up. The companies are hoping to motivate young people, especially at festivals and sports events, to collect their empty beverage cans for recycling so that the packaging material can remain in circulation.

Jede Dose Zaehlt founder Dorothea Junk said: “Jede Dose Zaehlt has been engaged in motivating Austrians to recycle beverage cans properly because every can, whether made from aluminium or tinplate, is 100 per cent recyclable and can be reused infinitely. It is the most recycled beverage container worldwide – practical, space-saving, and environmentally friendly. We are overjoyed that Pepsi Cola actively shares and supports our initiative and has agreed to become the first beverage company in Austria to print our logo on its products.”

A spokesperson for Pepsi Austria commented: “For Pepsi Cola, it is self-evident that we have to take responsibility for the environment, resources and energy use, as well as for future generations. Consequently we are proud to be a pioneer in this field in Austria. Through cooperation with Jede Dose Zaehlt, Pepsi Cola is building awareness for beverage can recycling. Pepsi Cola’s goal is to explain this subject and, most of all, to motivate young consumers to collect their empty cans for recycling”.

Jede Dose Zaehlt pointed out that it is important for consumers to be collecting and recycling aluminium drinks cans: only 5 per cent of energy for primary production is needed to re-melt a beverage can; each can is recyclable up to 100 per cent and infinitely, while still maintaining its material quality; and, for every 1kg of aluminium that is recycled, 9kg of greenhouse gas emissions are saved.