It’s elementary: Students collect 3m+ aluminium cans at US recycling contest

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During the 2025-26 “Million Cans Recycling Contest” held in the US, elementary school students from 14 states recycled more than 3 million aluminium beverage cans. Since the inception of the competition in 2023-24, participants have collected over 6 million aluminium cans, weighing nearly 188,000 pounds, roughly the same as the airframe of a Boeing 737. Including this year’s collection of around 3.07 million cans, the contest has delivered energy savings estimated to be sufficient for charging around 36 million smartphones.

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The initiative is organised by the nonprofit Recycling Society, based in Bellingham, Washington, in collaboration with the Washington-based Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and other beverage can industry partners.

Commenting on the initiative, Andrew Hyde, the Recycling Society President, stated, “There are a lot of recycling programs in America. Very few of them can hand a CFO [Chief Financial Officer] a per-pound impact number, a per-school engagement number, and a per-dollar return number. This one can.”  

Founded by Jessica Alexanderson, Executive Director of The Recycling Society and co-author of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, the Million Cans Recycling Contest expanded from eight schools in seven states to 56 schools across 14 states this year.

This was the programme’s first year operating under nonprofit status, helping raise nearly USD 56,000 through aluminium scrap collections, with funds returned directly to participating schools for classroom resources and activities. Over 21,734 elementary students participated in hands-on recycling initiatives, while 4,979 copies of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans were distributed to students.

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Alexanderson noted, “These elementary students in 14 states recycled more than 3 million cans this year and raised approximately USD 56,000 for their schools. They aren't just collecting cans, they're changing behaviours in their communities and becoming real-life recycling superheroes.”

The programme was conducted in partnership with schools with local scrapyards and industry sponsors, including Aluminum Dynamics, Ball Corporation, CANPACK, Crown Holdings, Novelis and Tri-Arrows Aluminum Incorporated, amongst others.

Roxanne Sharif, director of sustainability at CMI, noted, “Since 97 per cent of recycled cans become new cans, we’re excited to take the aluminium these recycling superheroes kept in the recycling system and make it part of new cans.”

Contest winners were selected based on cans recycled per student, allowing smaller schools to compete fairly. Fairplain Elementary in West Virginia secured first place, followed by Mendon Elementary in Pennsylvania and Tri-County Primary in Indiana. Mount Washington Elementary in Kentucky received an honourable mention after recording the highest overall can collection volume in the contest.

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