Mission Possible Partnership targets lower carbon aluminum production and increased UBC recycling

The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), Washington, and its aluminum beverage can manufacturer and can sheet producer members have endorsed Mission Possible Partnership’s (MPP’s) transition strategy for a net-zero, 1.5 C-aligned aluminum industry, reflecting the aluminum beverage can industry’s aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the relatively small amount of primary aluminum used in beverage cans.

Since the 1990s, the carbon footprint of aluminum beverage cans made in North America has dropped by nearly half, according to a news release from the CMI, which says endorsing and acting on the MPP strategy further will reduce the carbon footprint of the aluminum beverage can.

Achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 while limiting global warming to 1.5 C from preindustrial levels will require a variety of actions, including deploying new technologies, decarbonizing the power supply and increasing material and product efficiency, the CMI says. Through their endorsements of the MPP strategy, CMI aluminum beverage can sector members are agreeing on the importance of limiting global warming to 1.5 C and recognizing that actions to support the transition to achieve a 1.5 C-aligned scenario should be pursued expeditiously.

Another way to reduce the carbon footprint of aluminum beverage cans is to increase the recycled content used in new cans. Today, aluminum beverage cans manufactured in the United States average 73 percent recycled content, the highest average of any beverage container, according to CMI. That number will increase, decreasing the need for primary aluminum, if the industry is successful in reaching stated aluminum beverage can recycling rate targets. These targets, as set by CMI and its members, entail going from a 45 percent recycling rate in 2020 to a 70 percent rate in 2030, 80 percent rate in 2040 and 90 percent rate in 2050. Last summer, CMI released its Aluminum Beverage Can Recycling Primer and Roadmap, which provides details on how these targets can be achieved, including its support of well-designed deposit return programs at the state and federal level.

“Our strategy has two parallel paths to further reduce the carbon footprint of the aluminum beverage can—lower the carbon footprint of any primary aluminum incorporated into beverage cans and increase the recovery of used beverage cans so the recycled content in new cans increases,” says Scott Breen, CMI vice president of sustainability. “Our members have shown leadership in both of these areas by endorsing Mission Possible Partnership’s strategy to foster a net-zero, 1.5 C-aligned aluminum industry and by committing to ambitious U.S. aluminum beverage can recycling rate targets.”

MPP says a cumulative investment of approximately $1 trillion across the primary production value chain will be needed to deliver a net-zero sector or a 1.5 C pathway. CMI says it will work with its aluminum beverage can manufacturer members (Ardagh Metal Packaging, CANPACK, Crown Holdings and Envases), its aluminum beverage can sheet producer members (Constellium, Kaiser Aluminum, Novelis and Tri-Arrows Aluminum), its partner and fellow endorser The Aluminum Association and a variety of stakeholders inside and outside of the industry to catalyze the necessary actions and investments to pursue this transition strategy.