Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings have sponsored the Global Aluminium Can Sustainability Summit, which will take place on September 13 and 14 in Rome, Italy.

The summit brings together more than 100 leaders from organisations globally across the aluminium beverage can value chain to operationalise the decarbonisation of aluminium produced for can sheet and generate transparent information on recycling and circularity including how to measure recycled content in beverage cans.

The event is organised in partnership with Can Manufacturers Institute, which represents U.S. metal can manufacturers and their suppliers, and International Aluminium Institute, which represents the global primary aluminium industry.

Demand for the aluminium beverage can is growing as consumers place a premium on sustainability factors in their purchasing decisions. 

The beverage can’s sustainability advantages provide environmentally conscious consumers with a package that is made of a material that recycles forever, more than pays for its own cost of recycling, and is capable of being recycled into the same product infinitely. 

The Summit will advance efforts to strengthen the beverage can’s sustainability performance, further cementing the can as the most sustainable, circular beverage package.

Summit speakers include executives and thought leaders from inside and outside the aluminium beverage can industry. Speakers within the industry include CEOs of leading aluminium beverage can sheet suppliers and the can manufacturers Ardagh and Crown. 

Outside of the can industry, speakers include representatives from Energy Transitions Commission, McKinsey and Science Based Targets, as well as the financial institutions Citi, Deutsche Bank and Federated Hermes. 

In addition, Laura Thompson of the environmental nonprofit GreenBlue will present her initial findings on how to standardise the measurement of recycled content in aluminium beverage cans that is in accordance with international standards.

“The aluminium beverage can is the most recycled beverage container in the world, and these high levels of recycling mean significant carbon savings since processing recycled aluminium utilises around 5 percent of the energy needed to mine and produce new aluminium,” said Jennifer Cumbee, chief sustainability officer, Ardagh Metal Packaging. 

“This Summit will help further mobilise our industry toward decarbonisation and increased recycled content levels, further positioning the beverage can as the leader in sustainability excellence.”

Aluminium beverage cans manufactured in North America currently have an average of 73% recycled content. The Aluminium Association and CMI have transparently reported annually this recycled content industry-average and its methodology including most recently in the 2021 aluminium beverage can sustainability key performance indicators report.

“An aluminium beverage can with higher recycled content has a lower carbon footprint,” said John Rost, global sustainability and regulatory affairs, Crown Holdings. 

“As a result, there is increased interest globally, from consumers to customers to legislators, in the amount of recycled content in beverage packaging. 

“So, in addition to discussing decarbonisation processes, another key focus of the Summit is to ensure global standardisation on how the industry calculates recycled content in aluminium beverage cans. 

“These steps are indicative of our industry’s focus on supporting our customer’s sustainability platforms and being a leading example of a circular economy.”