Can Manufacturers Institute rewards a Florida-based MRF with $50,000 aluminium can capture grant

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), Washington, has announced to give $50,000 aluminium can capture grant to Gel Recycling, a material recovery facility (MRF) in Port Orange, Florida, as a gesture to help the facility recover more beverage cans. Gel Recycling plans to use this grant by investing in aluminium can capture equipment, such as metal detector and optical sorter, as part of a larger facility upgrade.

Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings both contributed funds to the grant.

According to the report, Gel Recycling’s investment in new aluminium can capture equipment will result in 3.5 million more beverage cans capture at the facility. Metal detector and optical sorter will help the facility eliminate used beverage cans from being missorted into the MRF’s plastics pile.

Metal detector costs $400,000, of which the grant will cover a portion, while the rest will be borne by Gel.

Gel Recycling is a dual-stream MRF that processes 24,000 tonnes of beverage cans per year, mostly from Volusia County on Florida’s northeast coast.

According to an estimate, 3.5 million additional cans capture will approximately generate $56,000 in new annual revenue.

“The environmental and economic impact of recycling aluminum cans is astounding,” said CMI President Robert Budway. He added, “Can manufacturers like Ardagh and Crown ultimately convert billions of used beverage cans into new cans each year, which is why the aluminum beverage can is the textbook example of the circular economy. These grants ensure millions more aluminum beverage cans complete the circular journey into new cans, which can happen infinitely since metal recycles forever.”

Texas Recyclers, Houston, and Curbside Management, Ashville, North Carolina, were the first two grant recipients in this program.