The Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas sector, has launched today the innovative campaign “Recycling Starts with a Can” in collaboration with beverage can manufacturers Crown and Canpack.
The campaign aims to encourage consumers to recycle used aluminum beverage cans, promote the circular economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The “Recycling Starts with a Can” campaign, known as Every Can Counts, is a global awareness program highlighting the importance of recycling aluminum beverage cans. The UAE joins the program as the first country in the Middle East.
The campaign currently operates in 21 European countries, as well as Brazil and the United States, aiming to inspire individuals to recycle beverage cans and collect used cans in designated bins, organizing fun activities at festivals, beaches, and public places.
The average consumption of aluminum beverage cans per person in the UAE is over 60 cans annually, totaling approximately 660 million beverage cans per year. Despite aluminum recycling rates exceeding 95% in leading countries, only a third of this quantity is recycled in the UAE, with the remaining amount, exceeding 440 million beverage cans, disposed of in landfills annually.
The fate of aluminum beverage cans depends on consumers’ decisions to recycle them, as aluminum is a continuously recyclable material. Aluminum recycling consumes 95% less energy than producing new metal and generates only a small fraction of emissions.
The leadership of COP28 in the UAE and global aluminum industry leaders have set a goal to recycle around 80% of aluminum beverage cans by 2030 and 100% by 2050. Recycling all aluminum beverage cans globally could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 60 million tons annually.
Abdulnasser bin Kalban, CEO of Emirates Global Aluminium, said, “Aluminum plays a crucial role in sustainable community development, and enhancing its recycling is a significant step towards environmental sustainability.”
Bartlomiej Wardyl, Sustainability Manager at Canpack in Europe, added, “Sustainability is a top priority for Canpack, and we strive to enhance recycling operations.”
Sandrine Dukroix Delser, Sustainability and External Affairs Director at Crown, said, “We look forward to implementing the ‘Recycling Starts with a Can’ campaign in the UAE.”
The “Recycling Starts with a Can” campaign reflects companies’ commitment to promoting sustainability and encouraging community participation in environmental preservation.
