Europe

Building on their successful partnership from renowned summer festivals, our Greek chapter, Kathe Kouti Metrai, has now teamed up with Athenian Brewery to introduce ECC’s innovative drink can recycling solutions during Apokries, the Greek carnival season. This brand partnership sees ALFA Beer, one of the country’s most loved beer brands, collaborate with our programme to raise awareness about the importance of recycling drink cans at, not one but two of Greece’s popular carnival celebrations: The Carnival of Xanthi and the Carnival of Rethymno!

The initiative aims to support both the sustainability efforts of the festivities and local communities through the proceeds of recycling activities. 

Carnival of Xanthi

The Carnival of Xanthi, the nation’s second-largest, offered thousands of attendees a firsthand look at ECC’s recycling ambassadors in action. Joining forces with the Municipality of Xanthi, the initiative aimed to facilitate the separate collection of drink cans and raise environmental awareness among carnival-goers.

To achieve their objective, colossal recycling bins, crafted to spell out the city’s name, were positioned in front of the Xanthi FC Arena. These bins served dual purposes: facilitating drink can recycling and providing a distinctive backdrop for snapshots during the festivities. Throughout the grand parade, our recycling ambassadors, donning their iconic backpacks, engaged locals and tourists alike in the recycling effort, all while spreading the message of recycling with infectious enthusiasm and smiles. This collaborative initiative not only made recycling aluminum cans straightforward but also supported the local community, with the recycling proceeds destined for the Psychological Center of Xanthi.

The Carnival of Rethymno

Meanwhile, at the Carnival of Rethymno in Crete, the second year of partnership with the Municipality of Rethymnon brought us one step closer to helping reduce the event’s environmental footprint. Recycling stations were placed across key locations and popular areas to help carnival-goers recycle their empty cans and encourage active participation in the separate collection process. Moreover, attendees had the opportunity to recycle their empty cans in the giant metal bins, spelling out #RETHYMNO along the seaside of the old city, enhancing recycling opportunities.

During the carnival’s grand parade, a team of recycling ambassadors was at the heart of the festivities, helping carnival-goers recycle their drink cans on the go and raising awareness about the benefits of aluminum recycling in saving energy and preserving natural resources. The proceeds from the recycled drink cans will be donated to support the Rethymnon General Hospital. The #RETHYMNO installation will remain in the city as a permanent recycling station and a powerful reminder of aluminum’s infinite recyclability and the significant impact that simple acts, like recycling drink cans, can have on our communities.

The giant Every Can Counts rainbow installation is due to be unveiled in Festival Quarter as part of the St Patrick’s Festival this weekend (16 th and 17 th March).

Made from over 1,500 recycled cans, the structure has been created by Every Can Counts in partnership with Loreto College, which is based in St Stephen’s Green. 18 transition year students from Loreto College collected cans for the installation, with local recycling centres Rathmines Bring Centre and Windmill Road Civic Amenity Centre also making donations.

Pupils from the college also visited our initiative’s warehouse in Dublin earlier this month to learn more about the construction of the rainbow and how aluminium cans can be recycled time and time again, with empty cans recycled and back on a shop shelf as a brand-new can in just 60 days. During the Festival weekend, six recycling ambassadors will also be on hand to collect cans in recycling backpacks and conduct surveys with attendees to raise awareness on the importance of recycling.

The deposit value of the cans collected by the team is to be donated to Capuchin Day Centre, which was nominated by Loreto College. Capuchin Day Centre focuses on helping those who are struggling with homelessness in Dublin, providing them with shelter, hot meals, food parcels, medical services, counselling, and shower facilities. The giant rainbow installation arrives on the heels of the new Deposit Return Scheme, which was launched at the beginning of February.

Research from Every Can Counts Ireland has found nearly seven in 10 (69%) say that the new Deposit Return Scheme will encourage them to recycle more, with concern for the environment the main motivating factor. Moreover, over three quarters (78%) of those living in the Republic of Ireland are more likely to purchase a drink container they consider to be recyclable, with aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles at the top of their lists.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts UK & Ireland, said: “St Patrick’s Day is a fantastic celebration of Irish culture and heritage and we’re thrilled we could partner with Loreto College and St. Patrick’s Festival to take part in the festival this year. “As well as brightening up Dublin, our installation will remind people about the benefits of recycling their drink cans, particularly as we mark over a month since the Deposit Return Scheme launched in the Republic of Ireland.

“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again, and making cans from recycled metal uses 95% less energy than making them from raw materials. The people of Dublin and Ireland alike can play their part in this process by ensuring they return all of their empty cans, allowing this valuable material to remain in circulation.” 

Jackie Dempsey, Principal at Loreto College, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of our transition year pupils and their support of Every Can Counts’ installation at the St Patrick’s Festival this year.

“After spending several months collecting cans from all over Dublin, it’s great to see their hard work come to fruition in the form of the giant rainbow. The installation is not only eye catching but also a great reminder of the importance of recycling and the positive impact it has on our local community.”

Richard Tierney, CEO of St Patrick’s Festival, said: ‘’Every Can Counts is more than just a recycling initiative; it’s a symbol of community engagement and environmental stewardship. We’re thrilled to have them and the Loreto College as part of the St. Patrick’s Festival this year, reminding us of all that every action, no matter how small, counts towards a greener, brighter future for Ireland and beyond.

“We’d also like to say a huge thank you to the transition year pupils at Loreto College, who have spent months working on this project. We can’t wait to see their hard work in our Festival Quarter during the weekend”.

“Sustainability is one of our core organisational values, and it’s an area where we feel we can really lead from the front on. It’s integral to every aspect of what we do in the festival from production through to programme. We’re aiming to implement genuinely impactful initiatives on the ground while continuing to support thought-provoking creative pieces throughout our programme.

“We’re grateful to our partners like Every Can Counts for coming on this journey with us this year and look forward to working to improve our sustainability throughout every aspect of the festival going forward”.

Aluminium beverage can recycling achieved a new record level of 570,000 tonnes, saving 4,7 million tonnes CO_2eq

Brussels, 21 February 2024 – The latest report by Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium shows that the overall recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans in the European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland went up by 3.2% to a new record level of 76% (76.1%). The total amount of aluminium recycled from cans reached a record level of 570,000 tonnes, an increase of 60,000 tonnes on the previous year. This represents a total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions saving of 4,7 million tonnes of CO₂_eq (equivalent to the annual amount of GHG produced by a European city of more than half a million inhabitants like Antwerp or Poznan[1].)

Beverage can manufacturers (members of Metal Packaging Europe) and their aluminium suppliers (members of European Aluminium) are  pleased with the increased recycling rate at European level which is a testament to the ongoing industry and supply chain efforts to improve recycling. However, several EU Member States still struggle to reach 90% recycling or more. The industry supports more ambitious separate collection targets for beverage containers like aluminium beverage cans as referred to in the proposed EU Packaging Regulation.

“We are proud of the latest achievement and believe the industry is on the right path towards 100% circularity of aluminium beverage cans by 2050. Today, beverage cans are one of the most recycled packaging formats on the European market. Can manufacturers recently joined other industry leaders at COP 28 in a call to accelerate aluminium beverage can circularity and contribute to Net Zero 2050.’’ said Krassimira Kazahska, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe, adding that “Aluminium is a ‘permanent’ material which means that it can be recycled multiple times through high quality recycling processes without losing its inherent properties’’.  

“We encourage Member States to implement well balanced Deposit Return Systems (DRS) as this will help move to a fully circular solution for the aluminium beverage can via ‘can-to-can’ recycling. Although used beverage cans (UBC’s) can easily be recycled into other aluminium products like automotive or bicycle parts, customers are increasingly looking for high recycled content in their new cans. We can do this, providing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes supply our remelting plants with sufficient quantities and qualityof separately collected and sorted UBC’s. Only DRS can guarantee this’’, according to Maarten Labberton, Director Packaging Group at European Aluminium.

The map provides a detailed overview of aluminium beverage can recycling rates by country in 2021. Recycling rates have been calculated on the basis of the new EU reporting rules, insofar available.

[1] If a yearly GHG emission of 9,2 tonnes is assumed per EU citizen as used in the Product Environmental Footprint methodology, see Normalisation method and data for Environmental Footprints – Deliverable 2 of the AA Environmental Footprint and Material Efficiency Support for Product Policy (No. 70307/2012/ENV.C.1/635340)

For the second consecutive year, our Spanish team, Cada Lata Cuenta, has partnered with the Cadiz City Council and local associations to promote sustainability during the Carnaval de Cádiz, one of the most famous carnivals in the country.

Cada Lata Cuenta has installed several recycling points in the most popular squares to help people recycle their empties. As many as 54 local establishments have installed recycling bins and containers with the programme’s message. The aim of this joint effort is not only to facilitate drink can recycling but also to enhance a sense of environmental responsibility among the visitors. More than 70 recycling points have been set up for the carnival-goers to deposit waste responsibly.

During the carnival, the recycling ambassadors of the programme were actively promoting the importance of keeping public outdoor spaces clean and recycling drink cans. Their efforts were wider than the festival season, as they also aimed to raise awareness about the significance of recycling beyond the event. To achieve this goal, they conducted surveys on recycling habits outside the home. They engaged with the community to understand their attitudes towards recycling, aiming to inspire more people to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.

Every Can Counts UAE launched at COP28 in Dubai is set to inspire behaviour change and help increase recycling rates towards a more circular future.

We have officially launched our chapter in the United Arab Emirates. Introduced at COP28 in Dubai, this chapter is supported by Emirates Global Aluminium and aluminium can-makers Crown and Canpack, aiming to help boost the country’s recycling rates from just one-third to 100%.

From Just One-third to a Vision of 100% Recycling

The United Arab Emirates, now the third non-European nation after Brazil and the U.S.A. to join Every Can Counts, consumes over 660 million aluminium drink cans annually, with currently only a third being recycled. This is in stark contrast to the recycling rates of over 95% in leading countries. The arrival of Every Can Counts is timely and crucial, not only because of the UAE’s current recycling rates but also because of the global challenge to tackle climate change by decarbonising the industry and truly reducing its environmental impact.

If disposed of correctly, drink cans recycle forever, saving up to 95% of energy and CO2 emissions compared to cans made from primary aluminium. Helping increase the nationwide recycling rate for drink cans would significantly reduce the 440 million cans that currently end up in landfills each year while drastically cutting down GHG emissions. 

But the successful recycling journey of a drink can is directly linked to consumer behaviour and their choice to place the used cans in the proper bin. Our mission is to inspire, encourage, and empower people to recycle their drink cans wherever they are while promoting aluminium’s unique qualities as a highly sustainable option for low-carbon beverage packaging.   

David Van Heuverswyn, Director Every Can Counts Global: “I am delighted that Every Can Counts has just been launched in the UAE thanks to a new partnership between the aluminium industry and local drink can producers. Our vision of empowering people to recycle their drink cans wherever they consume them can now spread to a new region. We are fully committed and ready to make a positive change in the UAE.”

A Global Call to Accelerate Aluminium Drink Can Circularity

In a united call at COP28, key global aluminium suppliers and recyclers, along with aluminium can makers and organisations, including Every Can Counts, pledged to boost the recycling rate of aluminium drink cans to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Despite over 70% of cans being recycled globally, more is needed to contribute to the 1.5-degree target. 

Expecting drink can consumption to climb from 420 billion in 2020 to 630 billion by 2030, a 100% recycling rate by 2030 would save 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. 

Achieving this requires a collective ‘can do’ attitude involving consumers, the education sector, drink brands, can makers, aluminium suppliers and recyclers, waste management companies, local authorities, governments and NGOs.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer at EGA:  “Infinite recyclability is one of many reasons why aluminium is essential for developing a more sustainable society. Aluminium is already one of the world’s most recycled materials, but too much of this valuable material is still thrown away. Increasing recycling requires supportive government policies and the development of infrastructure. It also depends on individuals making the right decisions every day about how to dispose of items they no longer need. We are excited about the potential of Every Can Counts to improve aluminium beverage can recycling rates in the UAE.”

Bartlomiej Wojdylo, Sustainability Director Europe at CANPACK: “For CANPACK, sustainability is a core responsibility. Aluminium beverage cans are the most recycled packaging in the world, and we know from countries like Brazil that it is possible to collect and recycle all cans. We would like to see this fantastic performance replicated in other countries. By supporting Every Can Counts in UAE, we want to inspire consumers to recycle more.”

Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, Director Sustainability & External Affairs at Crown: “We are excited to see the expansion of Every Can Counts to the UAE, after supporting it in other countries since its launch over a decade ago. Circularity is a key element of our sustainability, and we know we have the best package and material to keep delivering it. It is great to see the industry working all together to keep the cycle going.” 

Visualising Change: Art Meets #Actionism, Encouraging Recycling and Sustainability

Highlighting COP28’s theme of #Actionism to underline the importance of individual and collective efforts, Every Can Counts UAE made a striking statement with its #PixelCan installation, an art piece created from over 2000 aluminium drink cans. The artwork was displayed at the Sustainability Entrance and showed a young woman holding Planet Earth in her hands – a compelling symbol of how small, everyday actions such as recycling drink cans can have a big impact on environmental sustainability.

In addition to this visual statement, the programme featured its recycling ambassadors equipped with specially designed, QR-coded backpacks to track the quantities recycled throughout the event. The team actively encouraged visitors to recycle their cans on the spot while communicating the sustainable properties of aluminium as a packaging material.

The #EveryCanCounts Infinity Room exhibit has opened at Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, the home of science in North Wales.

Experience Infinity

The ‘Infinity Room’ installation, created by our team in the UK, marks a new experience for visitors to Xplore! Science Discovery Centre and is free to access for members of the public. The installation aims to teach all ages about the importance of recycling drink cans, as well as illustrating the infinite recyclability of aluminium.

Made up of 1,500 recycled cans and 25 square metres of mirrors, the focal point is a giant drink can, and those who step inside will find themselves in a mirrored room that creates an illusion of being surrounded by an infinite number of suspended aluminium cans. At the same time, a narrator will take them on an educational journey through aluminium can recycling and its environmental benefits.

Resident Reactions Towards Recycling

New research from our initiative in the UK into the recycling habits of those in Wrexham found on average, people enjoy around four canned drinks per week. Respondents said they recycled 90% of these cans on average, but just under half (45%) of respondents living in Wrexham said they always use recycling bins when out and about in public places, while only a third (34%) would take packaging home to recycle it if they couldn’t find a recycle bin.

Wrexham residents cited more recycling bins (66%), more recyclable packaging (37%), and clearer signage on recycling bins (25%) as the top three things which would encourage them to recycle more when out of their homes. Furthermore, half (50%) think more should be done to educate young people about the importance of recycling.

Jennifer Hough, Education Officer at Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, said: “We are delighted to be home to the incredible ‘Infinity Room’ installation. Over the coming months Xplore! will be starting work on a raft of decarbonisation activities including the installation of solar panels.

“The arrival of Every Can Counts’ installation allows us to really highlight the importance of recycling as part of our drive to reduce our carbon footprint. It promises to be an amazing exhibit, and we can’t wait for the people of Wrexham to see it!”

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager at Every Can Counts UK, added: “We’re thrilled to bring our unique Infinity Room to Wrexham after seeing great success with it throughout the UK in 2023.

“Free for all members of the public to access, the aim of the exhibit is to raise awareness of the infinite recyclability of aluminium in a visual and interactive way.

“Every empty can could be recycled and back on a shop shelf as a brand-new can in just 60 days, and each of us can play a vital role in keeping the cycle going and benefitting the environment.

“With the exhibit available to visit until September, we hope that visitors to Xplore! Science Discovery Centre are left feeling inspired to make small changes to their recycling habits and will encourage their friends and family to do the same.”

Share Your Experience of the Infinity Room

If you find yourself at the Xplore! Science Discovery Centre until September, don’t forget to share your experience with the Infinity Room on your social media channels using the hashtag #EveryCanCounts. 

We are beyond excited to announce the U.S. as our newest chapter, a significant addition that follows closely after our expansion into the United Arab Emirates during COP28 in Dubai. This new chapter enhances our position as the leading global initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the recycling of aluminium drink cans. With now 21 chapters worldwide, our shared mission is to inspire and empower people to recycle aluminium drink cans, especially when they are on the go and away from home.

Every Can Counts U.S. is a partnership between aluminium drink can manufacturers (Ardagh Metal Packaging, CANPACK, Crown Holdings and Envases) and aluminium suppliers (Constellium, Kaiser Aluminum, Novelis and Tri-Arrows Aluminum). These partners are passionate about encouraging people to do the right thing with their empty drink cans by recycling them.

The new chapter’s vision is to significantly increase the amount of aluminium drink cans collected and recycled in the United States with a focus on away-from-home drink can collection. These efforts are part of a multi-pronged strategy to make progress toward the ambitious U.S. aluminium drink can recycling rate targets set by Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) aluminium drink can members. These targets include going from the current 45% U.S. aluminium drink can recycling rate to a 70% recycling rate by 2030.

Debuting with a Mardi Gras Recycling Initiative in New Orleans

To kick-start its away-from-home recycling efforts, Every Can Counts U.S. is joining the City of New Orleans and many local organisations in the Recycle Dat initiative to make the 2024 Mardi Gras parades more sustainable. This year’s initiative hopes to surpass the 1,475 pounds of drink cans (nearly 150,000 individual cans) recycled during the 2023 parade season from those collected along the parade route and those sold to a local metal recycling facility.

The initiative supports local efforts to increase the amount of recycled cans by adding Recycling Hubs and Can-Only Receptacles for the 2024 Mardi Gras parade season.  Moreover, volunteers will be equipped with the programme’s signature backpacks, where parade-goers can directly insert their drink cans for recycling. Every Can Counts U.S. will take all the collected empty drink cans to a central recycling facility that regularly purchases used drink cans while doubling the market rate payout up to the first $5,000 and giving the proceeds to three local charities.

Besides this collection along the parade route, Every Can Counts U.S. will encourage New Orleans community members to bring their used aluminium drink cans to the recycling facility to earn cash. Community members can either get a personal check for the value of their empty drink cans plus the doubling or have the money go to the three local charities. “We’re excited to use the innovative engagement tactics from Every Can Counts at a variety of venues to keep drink cans out of landfills; instead, the recycled drink will generate significant environmental and economic benefits over and over since METAL RECYCLES FOREVER.” said Scott Breen, CMI’s Senior Vice President of Sustainability.

 “I am delighted that Every Can Counts has just been launched in the U.S.A. thanks to a new partnership between the aluminium industry and local drink can producers. Our vision of empowering people to recycle their drink cans wherever they consume them can now spread to a new region. We are fully committed and ready to make a positive change in the U.S.A.” said David Van Heuverswyn, Director of Every Can Counts Global. 

While the chapter’s primary focus will be to partner with more organisers and venues to make recycling aluminium drink cans easier at festivals and events, it will also leverage social media to educate people about the benefits of recycling and inspire them to make more sustainable choices. To reward followers for recycling, Every Can Counts U.S. will launch an Instagram contest during Mardi Gras with daily giveaways of gift cards to a local New Orleans brewery and a grand prize $200 gift card to a local, sustainable-minded restaurant.

For the latest updates on upcoming events and news, follow Every Can Counts U.S. on Instagram and Facebook. 

Our initiative in the United Arab Emirates joined forces with The Dubai Desert Classic, a premier European Tour golf tournament hosted at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, to raise awareness among golf enthusiasts about on-the-go can recycling and encourage them to recycle their empty drink cans on the spot using the programme’s signature backpacks.

Dubai Desert Classic combines world-class golf with family-friendly entertainment, featuring exciting additions to enhance the fan experience even more in 2024. The fan village, a standout feature of this year’s tournament, offered free outdoor fun for all attendees, ensuring there was something for people of all ages to enjoy throughout the tournament. Visitors not only enjoyed an extended range of off-course activities but also had the chance to contribute to the creation of a masterpiece on the Every Can Counts #PixelCan.

Another unique addition to the event was the Sustainability Corner, where children had the opportunity to explore and engage in sustainability-focused programmes, learning innovative ways to incorporate environmentally-conscious practices into their daily routines.

In the picturesque city of A Coruña, bidding farewell to the old year is not just about fireworks and countdowns but also about a unique tradition that involves running, laughter, and creative costumes. For the third consecutive year, the collaboration between Cada Lata Cuenta, San Silvestre Coruña, and the A Coruña city council has added a sustainable twist to the much-loved San Silvestre race.

As the clock ticks down towards the new year, participants in the San Silvestre Coruña lace up their running shoes and put on their funny costumes, turning the race into a festive spectacle. This year, Cada Lata Cuenta, our initiative in Spain, once again took center stage, to promote drink can recycling. Our recycling ambassadors equipped with the Every Can Counts signature backpacks waited at the finish line. Their mission? To raise awareness among the runners and attendees about the importance of drink recycling, even during moments of leisure and celebrations.

The organization together with Cada Lata Cuenta, went a step further by installing multiple recycling points throughout the event venue. These designated spots aimed to encourage participants and visitors alike to separately dispose of waste, helping with the responsible disposal of packaging, paper, and organic materials.

“One more year, we have joined the race with the goal of recycling 100% of the cans consumed, which is why we have encouraged participants to deposit them in the yellow container and in the backpacks, a very simple act that helps the fight against climate change,” explained Pablo García, Director of Cada Lata Cuenta in Spain.

We proudly welcome the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as our newest chapter, marking a significant leap beyond European borders. Following Brazil’s lead in 2021, the UAE becomes the second non-European nation to fortify our global community. This brings us one step closer to our mission: empowering people to recycle every drink can wherever they are.

As natural #Actionists, we couldn’t have chosen a more fitting stage to launch Every Can Counts UAE #التدوير_يبدأ_بعلبة than COP28, held in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December. The initiative, supported locally by Emirates Global Aluminium and aluminium can-makers Crown and Canpack, kicked off with a series of environmental education and behaviour change activities featuring the ECC #PixelCan and our recycling ambassadors, raising awareness about the importance of drink can recycling in tackling the climate change challenge.

Visitors at COP28 were educated about the infinite recyclability of drink cans, with a clear message that they can be recycled forever, saving up to 95% of energy and CO2 emissions compared to cans made from virgin aluminium. The ECC #PixelCan, created from 2.000 recycled drink cans, was showcased at the Sustainability Entrance, serving as a striking visual display and a powerful reminder that small actions, such as drink can recycling, can have a big impact, enabling a more circular future. Every Can Counts’ global director, David Van Heuverswyn, breaks down the idea behind the iconic ECC installation, marking the programme’s official launch in the UAE. 

This expansion is a testament to the global impact achievable when individuals, communities, and nations unite for a common cause. Together, we can make a real difference and contribute to a healthier planet for generations to come.