According to European Aluminium Association, the overall recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans in Western Europe improved considerably in 2006 and stands now at 57.7 per cent - nearly 6 per cent up on 2005. This is said to be mainly due to the numerous well performing collection and recycling initiatives throughout Europe.
The total number of aluminium beverage cans consumed in Europe rose from 25.1 to 28.3B units, resulting in an overall aluminium share of 68 per cent in Europe. Consumption of aluminium cans in Central an Eastern Europe grew by nearly 1.4B units to a total number 10B, an increase of more than 15 per cent compared with 2005.
The aluminium beverage can market grew in most Western European countries, with record sales in Scandinavia and the Benelux, significant increases in the UK and Ireland, and Turkey becoming a full aluminium market in 2006. The total market including Central and Eastern Europe grew by 16 per cent to more than 32.7B aluminium cans. This includes also exports to non-European countries.
Today, says the EAA, seven out of 10 cans produced and filled in Europe are made of aluminium.
Recycling rates remain high, up to 92 per cent, in countries with deposit or take-back systems. The deposit schemes in Northern Europe and in Germany are said to perform very well, but mixed waste and separate metal packaging waste collection schemes in other countries also experience better results. Aluminium can recycling increased in most countries, but the greatest progress was made in Belgium, Ireland, the UK, Hungary and Poland.
Contact
European Aluminium Association
Tel: +32 2 775 63 19
