Novelis promotes importance of recycling

Novelis, a global producer of rolled aluminum and recycler of beverage cans, has been implementing a wide range of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs over the years to promote the importance of recycling.

Each year, the company organizes a summer camp for elementary school students to help them learn how aluminum is recycled and why it is important in preserving the environment. This year, Novelis held a three-day ''Greenbiz Camp’’ in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 24-26. The camp was designed to extend Novelis’ sustainable business philosophy to local communities and to raise awareness of aluminum recycling.

''Recycling education is a key area of focus in Novelis’ global CSR program called ‘Novelis Neighbor.’ Novelis supports its business need for more recycled metal and the resulting environmental benefits by providing recycling education in schools and communities, and through support of programs that integrate recycling and fundraising around the world,’’ Novelis spokeswoman Oh Soo-hyun said. ''The Greenbiz Camp is Novelis’ first recycling education program conducted in Asia where the company sees the biggest growth potential and is aggressively expanding its business.’’

About 50 elementary school children learned about the importance of recycling and the environmental benefits at the camp. They explored different aspects of sustainability through various programs, including a team project to develop a green business plan, making solar-powered cars and a tour of Novelis’ aluminum beverage can recycling center.

Novelis operates two aluminum rolling plants in Ulsan and Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The company also runs an aluminum can recycling plant in Yeongju, which is capable of recycling 265,000 tons of beverage cans and scraps annually.

The Atlanta-headquartered aluminum producer is one of the few multinational companies that operate its Asia Pacific headquarters out of Korea. The company entered Asia’s fourth-largest economy more than 20 years ago and now employs nearly 1,400 workers.

Oh said recycling is an integral part of Novelis’ business model because much of its aluminum is made from recycled material. Novelis recycles around 40 billion aluminum cans annually, which would stretch from the Earth to the Moon and back more than six times, she said.

Novelis plans to get 50 percent of its raw material from recycled aluminum cans and scraps by 2015, and increase the ratio to 80 percent by 2020.

“Recycling aluminum requires 95 percent less energy, and produces 95 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, than manufacturing primary aluminum,” the spokeswoman said. “Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, meaning that it can be recycled over and over again without any loss in quality. A used aluminum can is recycled and back on the grocery shelf in as little as 60 days.’’

For instance, recycling one aluminum beverage can saves enough energy to power an iPod for 5.5 hours or light a 100 watt light bulb for 4 hours, Oh said. ''When recycled, a used aluminum beverage can, which otherwise would go to landfill and remain there for more than 500 years, turns into an energy bank. In fact, recycling aluminum cans reduces landfill wastes by 700,000 tons per year.”