Aluminum Can Recycling Rate Dispute Continues
For release: May 23, 2000
CONTACT: Pat Franklin
Executive Director (703) 276-9800
Jenny Gitlitz
Sr. Research Assoc. (508) 793-8516
Aluminum Can Recycling Rate Dispute Continues
CRI says the correct rate for the year 2000 is 55%, not 62.1%
Larger issue is 4-year decline in aluminum can recycling
ARLINGTON, VA (May 22, 2001)-- The Container Recycling Institute (CRI), a nonprofit research group, reports that the U.S. aluminum can recycling rate dropped to 54.5 percent in 2000, more than 7 percentage points lower than the rate reported by the Aluminum Association in April 2001.
"The industry methodology is flat out wrong," said Pat Franklin, executive director of CRI. "By including imported used cans in the number of cans recycled in the U.S., the Aluminum Association inflates the domestic recycling rate. The Container Recycling Institute's methodology excludes these imported scrap aluminum cans, thereby arriving at a more accurate domestic recycling rate. Our method is consistent with the measurement methodology used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."
Franklin pointed out that whether one accepts the Aluminum Association's methodology or CRI's methodology, the more relevant issue is the fact that aluminum beverage can recycling has declined every year for the last four years. "No matter whose method of measurement you use," said Franklin, "fewer pounds of aluminum cans were recycled last year than in any year since 1990."
"Our calculations show that 1.4 billion pounds of aluminum cans were landfilled, incinerated or littered last year-272 million pounds more than were wasted in 1990," said Jennifer Gitlitz, CRI senior research associate. "The energy required to replace these wasted cans with new cans made from virgin materials could supply the electricity needs of over three million American households for a year," Gitlitz said. She said aluminum manufacturing impacts water quality and wildlife habitat in the United States, Canada, and many other parts of the world, and produces emissions that contribute to global warming.
"These new statistics on aluminum can wasting come at a time when the nation faces an energy crisis," Gitlitz added, "especially in the Pacific Northwest, where 40% of the nation's primary aluminum is produced."
CRI will be releasing a report on aluminum can recycling and wasting in June 2001
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Aluminum Can Recycling Rate Hits Ten Year Low
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2000
CONTACT: Pat Franklin, 703/276-9800
Executive Director
Aluminum Can Recycling Rate Hits Ten Year Low
ARLINGTON, VA (April 6, 2000) -- The Container Recycling Institute's data shows that the aluminum can recycling rate hit a ten year low of 55.2 percent in 1999, 5 percentage points below the 1997 rate of 60 percent. The 55.2 percent rate excludes imported scrap aluminum cans. CRI's calculations are based on statistics from the Aluminum Association and the U.S. Bureau of Census.
According to the Aluminum Association and Can Manufacturer's Institute the 1999 aluminum beverage can recycling rate was 62.5 percent. This number is inflated by approximately 12 percent, because it includes the imported scrap aluminum beverage cans - cans that were recycled in the U.S. but not sold in the U.S.
In 1997 the aluminum industry, led by ALCAN, announced an aluminum can recycling goal for the industry of 75 percent by 2001. Whether one accepts the inaccurate figures from the aluminum industry or the Container Recycling Institute's figures, which uses the USEPA's methodology and reflects the true recycling rate, the fact is we are further from that goal of 75 percent today than we were in 1997.
"It is our hope," said CRI executive director, Pat Franklin, "that the Aluminum Association and the Can Manufacturer's Institute will one day decide to stop inflating the aluminum can recycling rate so that the recycling industry and the public will have an accurate picture of aluminum can recycling in the U.S."
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NOTE: Copies of the following charts and graphs available upon request.
1) Aluminum Can Recycling Rate: 1990-19992) Calculating the 1999 US Aluminum Can Recycling Rate
3) Aluminum Can Recycling Rate: 1990-1999 (two methodologies)
4) Recycling Rate for Aluminum Cans - Sweden and USA
Recycling Group Reacts To Miller's Announcement Of National Rollout Of Plastic Beer Bottle
For Immediate Release
March 9, 2000
Executive Director, Pat Franklin, 703/276-9800
Communications Consultant, Lance King 703/241-4927
Recycling Group Reacts To Miller's Announcement Of National Rollout Of Plastic Beer Bottle
WASHINGTON, DC (March 9, 2000) - The Miller Brewing Company's announcement of their national rollout of a plastic beer bottle has both positive and negative implications for the future of recycling according to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), a research group based in Arlington, Virginia.
"It is good news for recycling and the environment that a major consumer product company has publicly committed to take responsibility for its product by agreeing to use recycled plastic in making its bottles, " said Pat Franklin, executive director of CRI. "Turning old bottles into new bottles is a step forward, at a time when plastic bottle recycling rates are steadily declining."
Franklin said there are still major hurdles, including the higher cost involved in recycling the amber plastic bottles. "In 30 states that rely solely on curbside recycling to collect plastic bottles the amber bottle will increase costs to municipal recycling programs because the bottles will have to be separated from clear and green plastic bottles," said Franklin.
According to CRI, the built in collection infrastructure provided by the container deposit system or bottle bill provides a steady stream of clean materials that can easily be used to make new containers out of old ones. "More importantly," said Franklin, "in the 10 states that have container deposits the costs are borne by producers and consumers rather than municipal governments."
The bottle bill requires a deposit on beverage containers that is returned to consumers when the container is returned. "Without the ten states with bottle bills," said Franklin, "Miller would not be able to get the supply of bottles needed to use recycled content in their new plastic bottle."
The Container Recycling Institute is a research and education organization studying container and packaging recycling issues.
California Recycling Bills Would Benefit Economy And Environment
June 2, 1999
Contact: Pat Franklin, (703) 276-9800
California Recycling Bills Would Benefit Economy And Environment
SACRAMENTO, CA -- California legislation to expand the bottle bill program and require plastic container recycling would benefit both the economy and environment, according to a national nonprofit research and education organization.
The Container Recycling Institute, a national clearinghouse for information on container and packaging recycling, sees two bills before the California State Senate providing broad benefits for community recycling programs across the state.
"Expanding California's beverage container deposit program to include juices, sport drinks, bottle water and teas is a smart way to reduce waste through an economic incentive," CRI Executive Director Pat Franklin said.
Senate Bill 332, sponsored by Sen. Byron Sher (D - Palo Alto), expands the current state law to include non-carbonated, non-alcoholic beverage containers. A vote by the full state Senate is expected today or tomorrow.
"California's current law has kept more than 100 billion beverage containers out of landfills over the past 12 years. The so-called "new age' beverages covered by Senator Sher's bill have appeared on the market since the original law was passed or, like juices, do not have the desired recycling rate without the deposit incentive," Franklin said.
CRI analysis indicates that the volume of beverage containers recycled will increase by approximately 20 percent. Although currently most of the beverages that would be covered are packaged in glass bottles, the beverage producers like food product companies are increasingly moving to plastics bottles.
The second bill, by SB 1110, by Senator Wesley Chesbro (D - Arcata), would expand the state law requiring plastic container recycling to include food and cosmetic containers. It also raises the required plastics recycling rate or recycled content alternative to 35 percent.
"Plastics recycling is failing to keep pace with the tremendous increase in plastic packaging for consumer products. We are producing more and recycling less. The Chesbro bill addresses an urgent problem, which is the high cost for collecting plastic waste and disposing of it in landfills. At the same time, it holds manufacturers responsible for their packaging waste," Franklin said.
Diverting these containers from landfills would save Californians millions of dollars annually in avoided disposal costs, reduced pollution and energy consumption resulting from making new containers from raw materials, stimulate recycling businesses and aid in reaching the state's 50 percent waste reduction and recycling goal.
"These bills send a powerful message that wasting billions of containers annually is no longer acceptable," Franklin concluded.Popular Links
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