Are soda cans eco-friendly? However, studying the environmental effects of soda cans will show you a lot of ups and downs. But aluminum cans recycle at an estimated rate of 75%, and the Aluminum Association says that 75% of all ever made are still in use somewhere. This is in stark difference to plastic beverage bottles, which has a global recycling rate of still just around 30%.
While making aluminum cans takes a lot of energy - and technology innovations to date have lightened that load. For example, the amount of energy to produce a ton of aluminum has declined about 70% since the decade starting from 1880. This efficiency gain demonstrates the good efforts of our industry for a greener future.
This week, Coca-Cola has committed to use 50% recycled content in their aluminum cans by 2030. This is in line with global moves to cut waste and carbon footprints. Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy needed to make the same amount of aluminum from its virgin source,- said Bill Gates, an environmental sustainability advocate
Aluminum's environmental side is bauxite -- from which the pure aluminum gets extracted. This can impact biodiversity as a result of deforestation and habitat destruction due to bauxite mining. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), responsible mining practices are a requirement in order for such consequences not escalate.
When it comes to the backwards-facing carbon footprints, aluminum beats plastic. In an investigation published in Environmental Research Letters, aluminum cans are revealed to produce roughly 1.3 times the greenhouse gas emissions of glass bottles but far less than plastic bottles (that emit approximately 1.8 time more).
Reducing material per can is known as lightweight-ing and has been a focus in efforts to make aluminum cans even more sustainable. This results in less energy required for both production and transportation, which reduces the overall impact on our environment.
More soda companies are implementing closed-loop recycling systems. Some of those, like PepsiCo's efforts to make sure every can is recycled and reused in new products. This method saves resources and also keeps waste out of landfills.
The Life Cycle of Soda Cans: From Bauxite Mining to Recycling Aluminum cans have their unique implications in each stage of production, but they remain a fairly sustainable choice compared to other options such as the simply high recyclability and continuous efficiency enhancement itself. To learn more about soda can sustainability, visit Soda cans.