Japanese packaging manufacturer Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, Ltd. and compatriot integrated aluminium manufacturer UACJ Corporation entered into a business alliance last week aimed at promoting the horizontal recycling of aluminium beverage cans via the “CAN to CAN” initiative.
The firm said the agreement intends to enhance the development and commercialization of aluminium cans that are highly sustainable by joining forces on technology and knowledge. The partnership will also contemplate joining forces on activities intended to raise awareness and prevalence of the collection and subsequent recycling of used aluminium cans.
Although Japan’s aluminium beverage can recycling rate is 97 percent, aluminium beverage cans on the market today are made from less than 60 percent recycled aluminium. As CO2 emissions from recycling aluminium are nearly negligible compared to the amount released in the production of raw aluminium from bauxite, it is of obvious benefit to increase the usage of recycled aluminium at every possible opportunity.
UACJ says this new agreement will aid it in increasing speed to market for new sustainable products, including lower-carbon aluminium beverage cans. Ideally the agreement will yield greater horizontal recycling of aluminium beverage cans and reduce CO2 production along the entirety of the aluminium beverage can supply chain.
