Tim Ebner, Vice President of Communications & Marketing at the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), leads strategic communications to position aluminium beverage cans as the world’s most sustainable drink package. With prior experience at the American Forest & Paper Association and as senior editor of Associations Now, Ebner brings deep expertise in association leadership, marketing and advocacy. At CMI, he oversees campaigns like Every Can Counts US, combining grassroots initiatives, stakeholder collaboration and creative activations to drive recycling awareness and circularity across the United States.
In an interview for “Sustainability & Recycling: Aluminium's Dual Commitment” e-Magazine, Tim explored Every Can Counts US, a program aimed at boosting aluminium beverage can recycling nationwide. Ebner discusses key challenges, including limited deposit return systems compared to countries like Brazil and highlights successful initiatives such as large-scale event activations, social media outreach and partnerships with manufacturers, beverage brands and volunteers. Emphasising the circularity of aluminium, he outlines a three-pronged approach combining infrastructure, technology and education to prevent millions of cans from ending up in landfills, increase recycling rates and create tangible community impact.
AL Circle: In your view, why does the United States lag behind Brazil in aluminium cans recycling? What practices from Brazil could be effectively adopted here?
Tim Ebner: The United States is a large and diverse country, like Brazil, but we have fundamentally different recycling and collection systems. In Brazil, there are people, known as catadores, who collect, sort, and sell used aluminium beverage cans, playing a crucial role in the country’s recycling system.
Whereas in the United States, we have only 10 states with deposit return systems (DRS), a policy approach that helps incentivise recycling at scale. In states with DRS, there are people, known as “canners,” who make it their job to recycle used aluminium beverage cans for a paid-out value. But this policy approach does not exist in every state. We are hopeful that soon there will be more states adopting DRS.
The Can Manufacturers Institute, which runs the Every Can Counts U.S. chapter, is working to build coalitions, including the Coalition for High Performance Recycling (CHPR). This type of advocacy work brings together stakeholders united in our mission to improve recycling systems across the country. We can achieve much higher recycling rates in the future, and we will get there through both grassroots efforts, like Every Can Counts, as well as comprehensive recycling policies.
AL Circle: Looking back at the first year of Every Can Counts U.S., what milestones have been achieved in terms of can collection and recycling rate?
Tim Ebner: Our work in the United States is truly impressive. Since the launch of our U.S. chapter, we have collected more than 330,000 used beverage cans for recycling, and we are still adding up and counting this year! This summer alone, we recycled 75,000 cans at four major events in New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Missouri. By providing recycling access for aluminium beverage cans, we can help increase the national recycling rate overall. We are also growing a social media following through organic messaging and creative content designed to inspire people to recycle their used beverage cans.
AL Circle: How many aluminium cans in a year still go to landfills in the US? What should be your next step to reduce it and increase the recycling rate?
Tim Ebner: Every year, more than a dozen 12 packs of aluminium cans end up in landfills for every person in America. That’s a lot of cans going to waste. And when you think of those cans in terms of value, it’s like we are throwing away more than USD1 billion worth of aluminium each year. At a time of increasing demand and calls for greater domestic supply chain security, accepting the status quo on recycling is no longer acceptable. This is why we are thinking creatively, helping major events and venues in the United States build access for recycling. We are proud to champion recycling through programs like Recycle Dat! at Mardi Gras, which impressively collected more than 145,000 used beverage cans last year. Those cans were sent to a local scrap yard and resulted in a pay-out value of more than USD 3,000 in funds donated back to local New Orleans community nonprofits focused on programs and projects that build climate resiliency.
To get a deeper insight into aluminium can recycling, read the complete interview here
