recycling rates

According to new data, a record 10.7 billion cans were recycled in the UK during 2023 – the highest number ever collected and the length of which would reach to the moon and back.

But what does this mean for the drink can recycling rate in the UK?

The Latest Aluminium Recycling Statistics in the UK

Alupro, the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, have revealed the record-breaking stats following an analysis of Environment Agency figures.

They found over 162,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging were recycled in 2023 through kerbside, bring, and on-the-go recycling systems – a 13% year-on-year uplift and a 4% increase since the previous record in 2021.

Click here to read the full news release by Alupro announcing the 2023 UK aluminium packaging recycling rates.

For aluminium drink cans specifically, 81% were recycled in 2023 and last summer, our dedicated team of recycling ambassadors collected and recycled more than 64,000 drink cans at events and festivals across the country, including Mighty Hoopla, Download Festival, and the Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

We plan to emulate this activity this year, with team members heading to a range of events to collect drink cans as part of our goal to one day achieve a 100% recycling rate for drink cans in the UK.  

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said: “These record-breaking figures show the positive impact we can have as a country when we all play our part in the recycling process.

“Big or small, every effort made by the public to dispose of their empty drink cans responsibly helps to inspire further progress and improve recycling rates both at home and on the go.

“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again without loss of quality, and every empty drink can that is recycled can be back on sale as a brand-new can in just 60 days. With World Environment Day just around the corner, we hope people feel inspired by the latest figures and continue to make recycling a priority.”

5 Incredible Facts About Drink Cans

• The amount of cans recycled in 2023 (10.7 billion) translates to carbon savings equivalent to removing over 250,000 cars from the road for an entire year!
• Drink cans are currently the UK’s most recycled beverage container.
• Drink cans are able to be recycled, filled and back on a shop shelf in just 60 days, thanks to the efficient recycling infrastructure in place across Europe.
• Aluminium (the metal that drink cans are made from) recycles forever!
• Recycling drink cans uses 95% less energy than creating new ones from primary aluminium.

Learn More

Want to learn more about the drink can recycling process? Visit our dedicated web page which takes you through the life cycle of a humble drink can.

Every Can Counts is returning to Download Festival in June and to celebrate we’re giving you the chance to win TWO weekend camping tickets to this year’s event! Just visit our social media channels and leave a comment on our competition posts with your answer to the following question: how many times can a drink can be recycled?

After two years, Every Can Counts is excited to be back at Download Festival in 2022 and our team will be on site, ready to collect all of your empty cans. Just look out for our iconic backpacks and can cages. We’ll have recycling rewards up for grabs too! If there’s one thing our team is good at; it’s making sure that can recycling is fun!

For your chance to win tickets to Download Festival 2022 see the terms and conditions below:

• This prize draw is open to UK residents only.
• We accept entrants from people aged 16+.
• One entry will be accepted per social media profile.
• The prize draw will run on the following social media channels:
  • Instagram – www.instagram.com/everycancountsuk
  • Facebook – www.facebook.com/everycancountsuk
  • Twitter – www.twitter.com/everycancounts
• To be included in the prize draw, you must comment on the competition post on one of the above social media channels and correctly answer the question: how many times can a drink can be recycled?
• Every Can Counts will select 1 winning entry at random from all correct guesses made across all of the above social media channels.
• Entries must be submitted before midnight on Sunday 22^nd May 2022 in order to be included in the prize draw.
• The winner will be contacted directly within 3 days of the closing date.
• We will announce the winner on our social media channels once we have successfully made contact with them privately.
• The prize for this competition is 2 x weekend camping tickets to Download Festival 2022.  No cash equivalent is offered.

Did you know? Drink cans are one of the most recycled beverage containers on the planet! But what percentage of drink cans are recycled in the UK?

82% of drink cans sold in the UK in 2021 were recycled, matching the record high rate set in 2020 when recycling was made easier for many due to the COVID-19 national lockdowns and ‘stay at home’ guidance.

Click here to read the full news release by Alupro, the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, announcing the 2021 UK aluminium packaging recycling rates.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said: “These new figures are really encouraging. It’s fantastic to see that, despite people returning to life ‘on-the-go’ and despite a growing domestic market, more than four out of five of the drink cans sold in the UK are still being recycled.

“We now need to keep up this momentum and raise the bar even higher. Recycling our empty drink cans is something we can all do for the benefit of the environment. It might be a small action, but keeping that valuable aluminium in circulation really does make a difference.”

How to Help Us Boost the Percentage of Drink Cans Recycled in the UK

As we continue to work towards our vision of a 100% recycling rate for drink cans, here are some of the ways you can help:

• Keep recycling your drink cans (especially while you’re on the go)!
• If you can’t find a recycling bin while you’re out and about, take your empty can home with you and pop it into your curbside recycling bin.
• Recycling drink cans really is as simple as that!

How We are helping to Boost the UK Drink Can Recycling Rate

• We aim to encourage consumer behaviour change by raising awareness of the benefits of recycling drink cans
• We also partner with businesses and organisations to make it easier for people to do the right thing with their empty cans.
• After recent awareness campaigns in London’s Covent Garden and Newcastle city centre, we are now gearing up for a busy summer at events and festivals across the country.

Incredible Facts About Drink Cans

• Drink cans are currently the UK’s most recycled beverage container.
• Drink cans are able to be recycled, filled and back on a shop shelf in just 60 days, thanks to the efficient recycling infrastructure in place across Europe.
• Aluminium (the metal that drink cans are made from) recycles forever!
• Recycling drink cans uses 95% less energy than creating new ones from primary aluminium.