MNN - Mother Nature Network

Nearly 55.5 billion aluminum cans were recycled in the United States in 2009, an increase of about 2.3 billion cans or 4 percent over the previous year, three industry groups said on Tuesday.

 

The proportion of aluminum cans collected last year for recycling rose 3.2 percentage points from 2008 to 57.4 percent, the Aluminum Association, Can Manufacturers Institute and Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries said.

 

They said in a joint statement that 96.6 billion aluminum cans were shipped in 2009, 1.7 percent fewer than in 2008, but the weight of aluminum collected rose 3.7 percent.

 

The number of cans per pound of aluminum increased to 34.35 in 2009 from 34.18 a year earlier, the statement said.

 

The Aluminum Association said aluminum cans can be back on store shelves in as few as 60 days after recycling, using 95 percent less energy than creating a can from new metal.

 

 

(Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by Dale Hudson)

Copyright 2010 Reuters Environmental Online Report

 

See also:

• Can recycling