Aluminum can more sustainable than ever

In May, the Aluminum Association completed what the organization says is one of the most comprehensive and transparent life-cycle analyses (LCA) ever conducted by an industry group.

Publicly available at ww.aluminum.org/lca, the independent study, carried out by PE Americas, part of PE International, the international market leader in strategic consultancy, software solutions and extensive services in the field of sustainability, was undertaken in part to respond to Walmart’s packaging scorecard, which calls for its suppliers in all sectors to reduce their carbon footprint.  

The results, which confirm major reductions in the aluminum can’s carbon footprint and energy use, have been provided to both the US Environmental Protection Agency and Walmart, the Association said.

Major findings of the study include:

·  A reduction in overall carbon footprint of the aluminum can by 44 percent

·  30 percent less energy usage

·  A reduction in package weight of 15%

·  68 percent total recycled content, the highest of any beverage package material  

“The data shows that we are using significantly less material and less energy to produce same-size beverage cans as compared with 17 years ago,” said Steve Larkin, president of the Aluminum Association. “The aluminum industry has made tremendous gains in sustainability. The aluminum can is more sustainable than ever.”  

This LCA is an independent comprehensive life-cycle study that analyzed the entire production process – from bauxite mining to can manufacturing.  The study incorporated the latest available information on energy and material consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental releases. The study examined the can manufacturing process using both the cradle-to-cradle closed-loop approach and the recycled content approach. It conformed to ISO methodology and was peer reviewed by respected professionals in the LCA community, including experts from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and the EPA.        

“LCA is the universally accepted method to comprehensively assess the environmental impact of a product from the raw materials, through the production, distribution, use, disposal, and recycling of that product—its full life cycle,” said Nuno da Silva, Managing Director of PE Americas.   “The aluminum industry has made every effort to ensure the integrity and transparency of this important project,” Larkin said.

In addition to posting on the Association’s website, the results and supporting data have been provided to the EPA, where they will be used to update the existing Life-Cycle Inventory database and the agency’s Waste Reduction Model. Government officials in the U.S. and LCA experts around the world use these databases.  

“The study also confirmed our belief that the key to continuing to improve the carbon footprint of the aluminum can is to increase recycling rates” said Pat Persico, manager of corporate communications for Novelis and chair of the Aluminum Association’s Can Committee. She noted that the aluminum industry is committed to a goal to increase the recycling rate to 75 percent by 2015, up from it’s current rate of 54.2 percent. 

“Recycled aluminum uses 95 percent less energy and creates 95 percent less green house gas emissions than new aluminum,” Persico said. The aluminum from an aluminum can, when recycled can be back on the shelf in as little as 60 days, and 34 cans can be made from just one pound of aluminum.   

The Aluminum Association, based in Arlington, Virginia, works globally to aggressively promote aluminum as the most sustainable and recyclable automotive, packaging and construction material in today’s market. The Association represents U.S. and foreign-based primary producers of aluminum, aluminum recyclers and producers of fabricated products, as well as industry suppliers. Member companies operate more than 200 plants in the United States, with many conducting business worldwide.     

The Aluminum Association

www.aluminum.org