Ball Corp. targets 90 percent UBC recycling rate

Westminster, Colorado-based Ball Corp. has released updated sustainability goals and made public a plan called “Toward A Perfect Circle,” which it calls “an industry vision that sets out how, by working together, beverage brands, retailers, and aluminum beverage packaging manufacturers and their suppliers could make aluminum cans, bottles and cups – the world's most recycled beverage containers –surpass a 90 percent recycling rate from today’s rate of 69 percent and increase the global average recycled-content rate to as much as 85 percent.”

The company states, “Today, recycled aluminum uses only 5 percent of the energy compared to using virgin material, and recycled cans have the potential to be back on the shelf in as little as 60 days.”

To achieve its vision, Ball says it will “drive multi-stakeholder action” that includes developing a low-carbon roadmap for the aluminum beverage packaging sector, including used beverage cans (UBCs). The company also will advocate for investment in infrastructure and technology to support what it calls a more effective and efficient recycling system in the regions where it operates. Ball says it seeks to publish this multiregion recycling roadmap and carbon pathway plan within the next year. 

“As a world-leading manufacturer of aluminum beverage packaging, Ball has a responsibility to our stakeholders and the planet to improve the environmental performance, social impact and economic returns of our business and take a leading role in driving industry-wide solutions to the climate crisis,” says John A. Hayes, chairman and CEO of Ball.

“Our customers are seeking low-carbon and truly circular packaging options as they work to fulfill net zero targets and meet growing consumer demand for sustainable products,” he adds. “Infinitely recyclable aluminum cans, cups and bottles are the solution.”

Representatives from several companies are quoted in a Ball Corp. news release announcing the roadmap, including recycling technology vendor Tomra Systems ASA; aluminum producer Novelis Inc.; beverage brand owner Anheuser-Busch InBev; melt shop furnace technology provider GHI; and recycling and policy consultancy ReLoop.

“Tomra’s technologies help to drive deposit return systems by making beverage container redemption easy for consumers while reducing costs in a shared-mission to achieve more than 90 percent collection and superior material quality that enables used containers to be turned into new containers over and over again,” says that company’s senior vice president Chuck Riegle.

José Domingo Berasategui of Spain-based furnace maker GHI comments, “Our aluminum recycling furnaces are already able to obtain high metal yields with minimum energy in fully automated plants. As a leading designer and manufacturer of aluminum recycling technologies, we welcome Ball’s circular ambitions and we are ready to support the industry toward the circularity transition towards 2030.”

“Having recently announced our own ambitious sustainability targets to become a net carbon-neutral company by 2050 or sooner and reduce our carbon footprint 30 percent by 2026, we are committed to working together with Ball and other members of the value chain to continue to expand the use of lightweight, infinitely recyclable aluminum to achieve a more circular economy,” remarks Steve Fisher, CEO of Atlanta-based Novelis.

Clarissa Moriawski, CEO and co-founder of Barcelona-based ReLoop, states, “It’s time for governments to lay the legal framework for effective collection and real recycling. The cumulative benefits from circular systems, like deposit return, mean less litter and carbon emissions; more valuable resources for local recyclers which means more jobs; and giving producers the opportunity to include large amounts of recycled content in their new packaging.”

“Ball is playing an important role leading the sector towards a better world,” comments Felipe Baruque, a vice president with Anheuser-Busch InBev. “Surpassing a 90 percent recycling rate and 85 percent in recycled content will require teamwork across the sector and can have a phenomenal impact for our planet.”

In addition to its recycling targets, Ball Corp. says its sustainability plans include transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and building a more diverse workforce.