Aluminum in Action: How Beverage Cans Are Closing the Circularity Loop

Industry Champions Elevate Aluminum Circularity at Climate Week NYC 2025

Key aluminum organizations and manufacturers are preparing to showcase aluminum beverage can circularity as a climate solution during Climate Week NYC 2025, scheduled for September 25 at Civic Hall in New York City. The session, titled “Aluminum in Action: How Beverage Cans Are Closing the Circularity Loop,” will highlight how aluminum packaging contributes to global decarbonization and a circular economy.

Led by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), the Aluminum Association, Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), and the Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance, the event will bring together stakeholders from across the supply chain—producers, recyclers, investors, and policymakers. The focus will be on cutting-edge technologies, industry investments, and policy initiatives that enhance recycling performance and reduce carbon emissions.

Notably, IAI will present fresh data showing that aluminum beverage cans hold the highest global recycling rate among drink containers. Recycled aluminum uses up to 95% less energy than primary aluminum production, making it a powerful tool in lowering emissions.

Circularity Metrics Reveal Aluminum’s Climate Potential

Recycling aluminum cans not only conserves raw materials but also secures supply chains. According to IAI forecasts, 87% of all recycled cans could return to the shelf as new cans, preserving critical alloying elements like manganese and magnesium. However, only 47% of cans achieve this can-to-can loop globally—an efficiency gap that demands action.

In the U.S., the aluminum can recycling rate lags behind at just 43%, significantly underperforming the global average of 71%. This disparity results in over $1 billion worth of aluminum ending up in landfills annually. As Curt Wells of the Aluminum Association stressed, “Accepting the status quo on recycling is no longer acceptable.”

Scott Breen of the Can Manufacturers Institute pointed out that aluminum cans boast a remarkable 60-day recycling loop from bin to store shelf. The U.S. beverage can industry is advancing solutions through initiatives like Every Can Counts U.S., AI-powered sorting technology, and producer-funded recycling systems aimed at boosting recovery rates.

SuperMetalPrice Commentary:

Aluminum’s unmatched recyclability positions it as a cornerstone material in the energy transition and circular economy. The upcoming Climate Week NYC session underscores the strategic urgency to close the can-to-can loop, particularly in markets like the U.S. where recycling rates lag. Enhanced public policy, smart infrastructure investments, and producer responsibility models will be critical to unlocking aluminum’s full climate potential. As demand for low-carbon materials intensifies, companies investing in circularity today will lead tomorrow’s sustainable supply chains.