The samba school parade from Rio de Janeiro has just broken the Guinness World Record as the World’s biggest aluminium beverage can recycling event.

Throughout the Carnival festival, which took place from 17th to 20th February and on the 25th, almost 10 tons of beverage cans were collected.

The Rio Carnaval is well known worldwide as the largest and most prestigious Carnival celebration on Earth and can now be considered a reference in sustainability events on a global scale.

Coordinated by Abralatas, the Brazilian Association of Aluminum Can Manufacturers, Every Can Count’s programme initiative in Brazil, Cada Lata Conta, set up a professional shed at the Sambadrome to collect, separate and dispose of 100% cans for recycling.

Every action was carried out in partnership with the Independent League of Samba Schools of Rio de Janeiro (Liesa); SESC – the owner of the official title -, through the Recicla Sapucaí Project, promoted by the Sustainability Fecomércio Institute (IFeS); as well as Recicla Rio, Movimento, and Febracom, which are recycling cooperatives in Rio de Janeiro.  

100 out of the 120 recycling ambassadors involved with the initiative were not exclusively focused on collecting beverage packaging but also on performing the role of true environmental agents by raising awareness of an increasing number of revellers regarding the importance of recycling and choosing preferably aluminium cans when having fun.   

“Rio was already famous for its astonishing natural beauty, samba and Carnival. Now it enters the World Stage for its recycling legacy. We rely on the paramount work of the recycling professionals in Rio as true environmental agents once more.

“Being acknowledged by Guinness demonstrates that we are on the right track, showing the World that it is possible to make such a huge event sustainable”, commented Cátilo Cândido, xecutive president of Abralatas.