US Aluminum Can Recycling Rate Edges Higher in 2023 but Falls Short of Pre-Pandemic Levels

Aluminum Can Recycling

The aluminum can recycling rate in the United States increased marginally in 2023, according to a joint report by the Aluminum Association (AA) and the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). Consumers recycled 43% of aluminum cans in 2023, up from 42% in 2022 but still below the 46% rate achieved in 2019. In total, approximately 46 billion cans were recycled, while 61 billion were discarded — a waste equivalent to $1.2 billion in value.

Aluminum Producers and Circularity Rates

US aluminum producers recycled 57% of beverage can scrap in 2023, a slight decline from nearly 59% in 2022 but an improvement from the 56% rate in 2019. The closed-loop circularity rate, which tracks the percentage of recycled beverage containers used to produce new cans, rose significantly to 97% in 2023, up from 93% in 2021. On average, new aluminum beverage cans in the US comprised 71% recycled material, including 33% used beverage can (UBC) scrap.

Industry Goals and DRS Initiatives

The CMI has set ambitious targets to achieve a total aluminum can recycling rate of 70% by 2030, 80% by 2040, and 90% by 2050. A key strategy to meet these goals involves expanding access to deposit return systems (DRS), where consumers receive refunds for returning UBCs. Currently, states with a DRS see a recycling rate of 77%, compared to just 36% in states without such systems. The report suggests that implementing nationwide DRS coverage could boost the overall recycling rate by 48 percentage points.

Despite the promising impact of DRS programs, no specific timeline for new state or nationwide implementations has been provided. However, the AA and CMI anticipate broader adoption of DRS systems as an effective solution to reduce waste and promote sustainability in aluminum can recycling.