Alcoa Foundation encourages pet lovers to recycle pet food cans

A new recycling campaign will make it easy for pet lovers living throughout the greater Evansville area to aid shelter animals through responsible recycling. CANS FOR PETS – an initiative sponsored by the Alcoa Foundation to increase the number of aluminum pet food cans recycled--is underway.

“Cans for Pets is a simple concept, but it’s definitely a win-win for everyone involved,” according to Alcoa’s Director of Corporate Communications, Kevin Lowery. “Dogs and cats get to enjoy their favorite meals, pet lovers get a chance to keep empty aluminum pet food cans out of local landfills, and the Vanderburgh Humane Society receives a nickel for every aluminum pet food can collected as part of this project.”

The pilot of this extremely successful recycling campaign launched in November 2012 in Pittsburgh with the support of the Pennsylvania Resources Council. According to Lowery, more than 64,000 aluminum pet food cans have been collected and recycled during the first 10 months of the program, with Alcoa donating proceeds to a Pittsburgh area animal shelter and wildlife center.

Individuals can drop off clean, empty aluminum pet food cans at the Vanderburgh Humane Society, 400 Millner Industrial Dr., during operating hours. The Alcoa Foundation will donate five cents per can collected to the organization.

“The Cans for Pets program is an exciting way for residents of Evansville and surrounding communities to support homeless animals while helping the environment,” said Kendall Paul, Vanderburgh Humane Society Executive Director. “If we work together we can help thousands of pets while making a lasting difference for this community.”

According to an industry survey, the recycling rates for aluminum pet food cans is significantly less than that of aluminum beverage cans: a 20% rate for pet food cans vs 65% rate for beverage cans.

“We see tremendous potential for recycling aluminum pet food cans and hope that rinsing and saving these cans soon becomes as routine as any other commitment to recycling,” said Lowery. “Our primary goal is to educate consumers about how recycling their clean, empty aluminum pet food cans not only benefits the environment but also benefits local shelter animals.”

According to Lowery, “There’s no limit to how many times an aluminum pet food can may be recycled, which means that an aluminum pet food can that someone recycles today can be made into a new pet food can and be back on store shelves in as little as 60 days.”