Aluminum Can Industry Collects Over 3 Million Cans, Raises Nearly $75,000 for Local Chairities

As the nation celebrated America Recycles Day, the aluminum beverage can industry announced it had collected and recycled more than 3 million cans and raised nearly $75,000 for local charities across the country, the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) announced today.

The Rexam manufacturing plant in Elk Grove Village, Ill., won first place in the annual industry competition, with 614,261 cans collected and recycled. Second and third place went to two Ball Corporation plants in the Midwest—Findlay, Ohio took second, and Monticello, Ind., finished third. Findlay and Monticello collected approximately 723,360 cans, and 249,249 cans, respectively. Winners are selected from the highest per-capita collection rates based on the number of pounds of aluminum collected per plant employee.

“We are proud to join our industry in setting a positive example in our local communities, showing that the aluminum beverage can is indeed the answer for sustainability and environmental superiority,” said Andre Balbi, president and CEO, Rexam Beverage Can Americas.

“Our contest provides an opportunity for can manufacturers and their employees to give something back—not only to the environment, but to their local communities,” said Robert Budway, president of CMI. “Our industry is proud of its efforts to optimize aluminum beverage can recycling while re-energizing the recycling ethic among consumers. We are even prouder of our efforts to reach out and help individuals that are really struggling in this tough economy.”

CMI recently launched a national campaign to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of recycling cans. “We’re highlighting the fact that cans are America’s most recycled package,” Budway added. “Most people would be surprised to hear that recycling 3 million cans saves enough energy to light 12 million light bulbs for an hour.”

Aluminum cans are “infinitely recyclable” and can be recycled into new cans and put back on store shelves in as few as 60 days. And can recycling benefits the environment in ways that extend beyond just minimizing landfill waste. For example, producing a can with recycled content requires 95 percent less energy than making that same can out of raw material. This in turn conserves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves money. More information about CMI’s sustainability campaign can be found at http://www.cancentral.com/sustainability.