Industry leaders at COP 28 aim to achieve a 100% aluminium cans recycling rate by 2050

Industry leaders at COP 28 have established a recycling goal of almost 100 per cent for the world's aluminium beverage cans by 2050. UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28), a seminar held every year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the world's sole multilateral decision-making platform on climate change, with almost every nation in the world represented. 

Aluminium manufacturers, recyclers, rolling mills, can makers, and industry groups have established a goal to support the IEA's Net Zero 2050 objective by emphasising the need for improved recycling. Even if over 70 per cent of aluminium beverage cans are recycled into new goods, more is needed to reach the 1.5-degree objective.  

"Together we are calling for greater commitment from national governments and the aluminium beverage can value chain industry to accelerate beverage can recycling rates, with at least 80 per cent target by 2030 and near 100 per cent by 2050. Reaching these targets is a must for the aluminium sector to decarbonise in line with a 1.5-degree slope," said Marlen Bertram, IAI's Director of Scenarios and Forecast.

As per AL Circle's recently curated report on "World Recycled Aluminium Market Analysis - Industry Forecast to 2030," significant growth of approximately 3.65% CAGR in recycled aluminium usage from 2022 to 2030 was witnessed. Read the report to know more about how the recycled aluminium industry will perform and get a detailed analytical study on the future aluminium recycling market.

The aluminium industry has to take immediate action to ensure that aluminium beverage containers are fully recyclable to aid in decarbonisation. As aluminium beverage containers can be recycled indefinitely without compromising quality, it's a little action with a significant impact. Top organisations like Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the Australian Aluminium Council, the US Aluminum Association, Ardagh Metal Packaging, and the Aluminium Association of Canada have participated in the recycling goal.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, said, "Infinite recyclability is one of many reasons why aluminium is essential for the development of 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 people around the world making the right decisions every day about how to dispose of items they no longer need. We all have a role to play in this, and at EGA we are committed to playing our part including working with our waste management, can-making and beverage producer partners in the UAE Aluminium Recycling Coalition we formed."

By 2030, the quantity of beverage cans is projected to rise from 420 billion to 630 billion. Recent research indicates that recycling all cans worldwide in 2030 will reduce 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Attaining a recycling rate of almost 100 per cent for aluminium beverage cans is a challenging task for the aluminium sector, as it must simultaneously address increasing demand for the metal and strive for decarbonisation. Decarbonisation models proposed by IAI, IEA, and MPP suggest that the aluminium industry is more likely to achieve the necessary emissions reduction if it prioritises collecting and recycling materials at the end of their useful life.