CMI Targets 70% US Aluminum Can Recycling Rate by 2030

According to reports on September 30, the US aluminum beverage can industry is intensifying efforts to recover more used cans in pursuit of a 70% recycling rate by 2030. Current initiatives focus on capturing cans that enter the recycling stream but are lost during the collection and sorting processes. The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) aims to boost the volume of aluminum returning to the domestic recycling system by combining improvements in Material Recovery Facility (MRF) sorting, more robust collection systems, deposit-return schemes, extended producer responsibility programs, and consumer education. The latest available industry data indicates that only 43% of aluminum beverage cans shipped in the US in 2023 were ultimately recycled—one of the lowest rates seen in recent decades.