The International Aluminium Institute (IAI), published a new report and factsheet, called “Can-to-Can Recycling: Performance, Potential and Pathways,” which highlights the circular potential of aluminum beverage cans, showing their leadership in closed-loop recycling and how much further cans could go.
“This analysis shows that aluminum cans aren’t just recyclable — they’re a blueprint for circularity,” said Marlen Bertram, director of Scenario Forecasts at the IAI. “But true circularity demands more than collection. It eventually requires smart alloy design, clean recycling streams, and infrastructure that keeps valuable materials in play.”
Key Findings
Created by members of the Global Beverage Can Circularity Alliance (GBCCA), the report compares real recycling rates, can-to-can recycling performance, and the fate of cans not returned to the cycle. It finds that while 71% of aluminum cans placed on the market are recycled, only 33% are made back into new cans, leaving significant untapped potential.
Other important findings:
- Aluminum Cans Lead Globally – 33% (140 billion cans) are recycled back into cans — versus 7% for PET and 20% for glass.
- Capacity Needed for Higher Closed-Loop Rates – 87% of all recycled cans could be turned back into cans today without changing alloys or remelter operations — yet only 47% currently make that journey.
- Downcycling Remains a Challenge – More than 20% of cans are used in products like engine blocks, where incompatible alloys prevent return to the can cycle.
“Despite being the world’s most recycled material, with three-quarters of all aluminum ever produced still in use, too much aluminum is still lost to landfill instead of staying in circulation to make modern life possible,” said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, chief executive officer of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA). “While more than 660 million aluminum cans are consumed in the UAE every year, only a third are recycled. This gap highlights the urgent need to expand recycling infrastructure and foster collaboration with regional can makers and waste management firms to accelerate recycling rates, boost the circular economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The report also presented regional insights:
- United States – World-leading 97% closed-loop rate, but overall recycling is just 43%.
- Thailand – Strong performance with 72% of cans returning to cans.
- Vietnam – Lowest can-to-can rate, hindered by export duties and missing infrastructure.
A global call to action aims for 87% of recycled aluminum cans to be returned to can production, maximizing both material and economic value worldwide.
“Aluminum beverage cans are infinitely recyclable, retaining their quality each time they re-enter the cycle,” said John O’Maoileoin, group sustainability director for Canpack Group. “This makes them a true driver of circularity — keeping valuable materials in use and waste out of the environment. By choosing cans, we accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, resource-efficient future for people and the planet.”
Pathways to 2050
One of the GBCCA’s main goals is to achieve 100% recycling rates for aluminum cans by 2050. Achieving this transformation requires high collection rates, clean UBC scrap, recycling-friendly alloy design, and global policies to minimize contamination and scrap leakage.
The factsheet models three scenarios for the future, from current trends
- Business as Usual (33% can-to-can) – 420 billion cans recycled would yield 207 billion new cans by 2050.
- Improved Practice (62% can-to-can) – Raising closed-loop recycling from 47% to 87% could generate 685 billion cans.
- Full Circularity (95% can-to-can) – With near-100% collection, compatible alloys, and high-quality scrap, nearly six trillion new cans could be produced from the same input.
“Today’s aluminum cans are helping beverage brands meet sustainability goals for recycled content and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Francisco Pires, senior vice president and chief strategy and sustainability officer, Novelis. “If a used beverage can is kept out of the landfill and is instead recycled, it can become a new can in less than two months, making aluminum beverage cans one of the most efficient examples of circularity in packaging.”