circularity

Emirates Global Aluminium has partnered with beverage can-makers Crown and CANPACK to launch Every Can Counts, a campaign aimed at encouraging consumers to recycle used aluminium drink cans.

The campaign is a global awareness programme for drink can recycling, and the UAE chapter held its first public events during COP28.

It is the third non-European chapter after Brazil and the USA.

The programme is already operating in 21 countries, and runs educational and recreational activations at festivals, beaches and other locations.

The campaign shared that while UAE citizens and residents, on average, consume some 660 million aluminium beverage cans annually, only a third are currently recycled.

This is compared to over 95 per cent in leading recycling countries.

This means that 440 million aluminium cans end up diverted to UAE landfill sites each year.

Aluminium, it was shared, is infinitely recyclable, a process which takes 95 per cent less energy than making new metal, and generates only a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions.

Further, recycling all used aluminium beverage cans globally would save 60 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly.

The UAE COP28 Presidency and global aluminium industry leaders set a target to recycle at least 80 per cent of aluminium beverage cans by 2030 and nearly 100 per cent by 2050.

Speaking about this, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, 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 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.”

Meanwhile, Bartlomiej Wojdylo, Sustainability Director, Europe at Canpack, commented: “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 of Sustainability & External Affairs at Crown Holdings, added: “We are excited to see the expansion of Every Can Counts to the UAE after supporting it in other countries since its launch more than 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.”

David Van Heuverswyn, Director of Every Can Counts Europe, said: “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 aluminium drink cans wherever they consume them can now spread in a new region. We are fully committed and ready to make a positive change in the UAE.”

Last year, EGA formed the UAE Aluminium Recycling Coalition, which brings together Crown and Canpack, as well as beverage producers and waste management companies, to increase the rate of aluminium recycling in the country.

EGA has also begun work on the UAE’s largest aluminium recycling facility in Al Taweelah, with an expected capacity of 170 thousand tonnes per year. Construction is expected to last three years.