Recycling contest backed by CMI drives over 3 million aluminium beverage can recycling

The aluminium packaging industry has wrapped up the 2025–2026 Million Cans Recycling Contest, an initiative spearheaded by the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) to strengthen supplies of used beverage cans (UBCs) while encouraging practical recycling education in schools and communities.

During this latest edition of the programme, pupils from 56 primary schools spread across 14 US states collected and recycled more than 3 million aluminium drinks cans. Over the past three years, the competition has now recovered upwards of 6.5 million cans in total. That volume represents roughly 188,000 pounds of aluminium diverted away from landfill sites,  approximately the same weight as the airframe of a commercial Boeing 737.

Expansion through a new non-profit model

A major development for the 2025–26 campaign was the programme’s transition into a formal 501(c)(3) charitable structure under The Recycling Society. The initiative was originally started by Jessica Alexanderson as a recycling challenge for schools and has since grown into a fully-fledged non-profit organisation aimed at increasing industry collaboration, improving participation from CMI members and extending the scheme to more schools across the country.

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Growth has been rapid since the competition launched in 2023-24. What started as eight schools operating across seven states has now expanded to 56 schools in just three years.

Circularity and Environmental Benefits

The programme highlights the amount of efficiency of recycling of aluminium for the metal packaging sector. A newly made can from a recycled drinks can is possible to be done within 60 days. Also, the production of aluminium from recycled cans reduces carbon emission by 95 per cent.

The latest competition cycle produces visible financial and environmental benefits which include:

• More than USD 56,000 returned directly to participating schools through local scrap yard partnerships based on prevailing market prices for recyclable aluminium. Energy savings estimated to equal the power required to charge approximately 36 million smartphones.
• Participation from 21,734 primary school pupils, helping introduce manufacturing, sustainability, and circular economy principles into local education programmes.

Industry-wide collaboration

The structure of the contest connects schools with nearby scrap processing facilities to support collection logistics. Each participating school is also paired with either a CMI-member “Can Champion” or another industry sponsor responsible for providing educational materials, incentives, and milestone rewards.

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The 2025–26 group of Can Champions included leading international companies involved in aluminium rolling, beverage can production, and industrial coatings throughout the supply chain.

According to Roxanne Sharif, Sustainability Director at CMI, the initiative demonstrates the long-term value of aluminium can recycling. She noted that because 97 per cent of recycled cans are remade into new cans, the organisation is eager to ensure that the material collected by participating pupils remains within the recycling system and returns to market as new packaging.

Schools Leading the Rankings

Several schools delivered standout performances during the competition:

• 1st Place: Fairplain Elementary, West Virginia — 160,790 cans collected, averaging 8,040 cans per pupil.
• 2nd Place: Mendon Elementary, Pennsylvania — 184,275 cans collected, averaging 6,143 cans per pupil.
• 3rd Place: Tri County Primary, Indiana — 235,200 cans collected, averaging 3,856 cans per pupil.

Highest Overall Volume: Mt. Washington Elementary, Kentucky — 288,400 cans collected.Plans for 2026–27

Operating under a charitable governance model will also allow additional corporate partners to support the programme through tax-deductible contributions.  The Registration of the next contest cycle is set to open on 13 July 2026, while businesses interested in regional Can Champion sponsorship opportunities can coordinate directly with the organisation.