【SMM Aluminum Flash News】IAI: Improving Can-to-Can Recycling Could Unlock Greater Aluminum Circularity
International Aluminium Institute (IAI) data show that around 420 billion aluminum beverage cans enter the global market each year. While about 71% are recycled, the current can-to-can recycling rate is only around 33%. At this rate, repeated recycling through 2050 could generate about 207 billion recycled cans, while raising the closed-loop rate to 62% through better UBC sorting, remelting and logistics could increase this to around 685 billion cans. IAI estimates that only 47% of recycled cans currently return to new cans, compared with a potential 87% using existing technology, highlighting significant room to strengthen closed-loop recycling.