Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Infinitely recyclable aluminum can more sustainable than ever, shows LCA

New life-cycle analyses from The Aluminum Association shows a carbon footprint reduction of 44% over the last 17 years.

On the heels of a debate between The Aluminum Association and the PET Resin Association (PETRA) over whether aluminum or PET is the greener solution for single-serve beverages, The Aluminum Association has announced that it has completed “one of the most comprehensive and transparent life-cycle analyses (LCA) ever conducted by an industry group.” 

The independent study of aluminum cans, carried out by PE Americas, part of strategic consultancy PE International, was undertaken in part to respond to Walmart’s packaging scorecard, which calls for its suppliers in all sectors to reduce their carbon footprint.

The results, which the association says confirm major reductions in the aluminum can’s carbon footprint and energy use over the last 17 years, have been provided to both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Walmart. Major findings include: • Reduction in overall carbon footprint of the aluminum can by 44% • 30% less energy usage • Reduction in package weight of 15% • 68% total recycled content, the highest of any beverage package material

“The data shows that we are using significantly less material and less energy to produce same-size beverage cans as compared with 17 years ago,” says Steve Larkin, president of The Aluminum Association. “The aluminum industry has made tremendous gains in sustainability. The aluminum can is more sustainable than ever.”

List: Digitalization Companies From PACK EXPO
Looking for CPG-focused digital transformation solutions? Download our editor-curated list from PACK EXPO featuring top companies offering warehouse management, ERP, digital twin, and MES software with supply chain visibility and analytics capabilities—all tailored specifically for CPG operations.
Download Now
List: Digitalization Companies From PACK EXPO
Conveying Innovations Report
Editors report on distinguishing characteristics that define each new product and collected video demonstrating the equipment or materials as displayed at the show. This topical report, winnowed from nearly 300 PACK EXPO collective booth visits, represents a categorized, organized account of individual items that were selected based on whether they were deemed to be both new, and truly innovative, based on decades of combined editorial experience in experiencing and evaluating PACK EXPO products.
Take me there
Conveying Innovations Report