Brazil world number one for recycling

Brazil has retained its number one ranking for aluminium beverage can recycling, achieving a 98.3% recycling rate. It has held the top spot globally since 2001.

Associação Brasileira do Alumínio (ABAL) and Associação Brasileira dos Fabricantes de Latas de Alta Reciclabilidade (ABRALATAS) have released figures showing that the country recycled 248.7 thousand tonnes of aluminium cans from a total of 253.1 thousand tonnes available in the market in 2011.

Last year, 18.4 billion packages were recycled - equivalent to 50.4 million per day, or 2.1 million per hour.

According to Renault de Freitas Castro, CEO of ABRALATAS, the beverage can manufacturing industry has been investing continuously to meet the demand. “The industry increased in 2012 its productive capacity to 9.5% going from 21 billion to 23 billion units per year, an expectation of 7% growth in the consumption of cans,” de Freitas Castro said.

The collection of aluminium beverage cans has injected R$645 million into Brazil’s domestic economy. In addition, because it only consumes 5% of electric power when compared to the primary metal process, the recycling of 248.7 thousand tonnes meant a savings of 3.78 GWh to the country.