The Every Can Counts program encourages the population of cities in Brazil, Europe and the United Arab Emirates to become aware of aluminium cans’ recycling.

Activities are taking place across the globe from 5-9 June. In Brazil, the Cada Lata Conta (Every Can Counts) program is coordinated by the Brazilian Association of Aluminum Can Manufacturers (Abralatas), which carries out waste collection and public awareness actions on the 8th and 9th of June.

This year, the actions will take place in Rio de Janeiro, on the famous Copacabana beach, where in addition to the personified can collection with recycling ambassadors and their traditional backpacks, artistic interventions will be carried out in the sand and in the sky.

The actions in Rio have the institutional support of Orla do Rio, the concessionaire responsible for managing the kiosks on the shore, and Parque Bondinho Pão Açúcar, from where images of the pickers – ambassadors of the action – will be captured in a symbolic act for the environment preservation and the recycling importance.

The motto doesn’t hide: everyone’s choices make a difference, because every can counts. “The aluminium can that you order at the restaurant matters, just like the one on the beach, at the bar or anywhere. Brazil has maintained a recycling rate above 95% for 10 years and actions like this are important to show consumers the benefits of our product”, explains Cátilo Cândido, executive president of Abralatas.

The director of Global Every Can Counts, David Van Heuverswyn, also reinforces the importance of collective action. “Our goal is to achieve 100% global recycling of beverage cans. Every recycled can is able to be returned to the shelf within 60 days, and campaigns like the International Recycling Tour bring us closer to this mission, demonstrating the power of collective action in creating a truly circular economy for the benefit of people and nature”.

With actions like the one in Rio de Janeiro, the campaign aims to raise awareness among the population and highlight the importance of recycling cans in the fight against climate change. In addition to Brazil, Belgium (Brussels), Czech Republic (Prague), France (Brest), Greece (Thessaloniki), Hungary (Budapest), Ireland (Dublin), Italy (Catania), Montenegro (Kotor), Netherlands (The Hague), Poland (Bydgoszcz), Romania (Bucharest), Serbia (Belgrade,) Spain (Alcalá de Henares), United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and United Kingdom (Bristol) join the actions. In all these locations, as well as in Rio de Janeiro, “recycling ambassadors” will walk around busy places with backpacks, inviting people to collect empty cans wherever they are, whether in parks, festivals, beaches, clubs or other environments.
Actions in 2023

Last year, two actions marked the activities of Every Can Counts in Brazil. The first was in Rio de Janeiro during de carnival at Sambadrome (where the famous parades take place). There were almost 10 tons of cans destined for recycling, a number that ended up in the Guinness Book of Records.

The second, held in Brasília during the World Environment Week, mobilised the population with actions in the City Park and other traditional spaces for weekend activities in the capital. During the action, a cooperative of recyclable material collectors collected aluminium cans with backpacks that reflect the campaign’s objective, disseminating messages about sustainability, raising environmental awareness and inviting participants to recycle empty cans.

Last year, Every Can Counts reached 183.5 million people around the world and directly influenced the recycling of more than 55 million beverage cans, including event actions and partnerships.

Every Can Counts is an international program to raise environmental awareness and promote the recycling of aluminium beverage cans, which has been present in 20 European countries for 15 years. In Brazil, it was launched in 2021 under the name Cada Lata Conta and is coordinated by Abralatas. Nowadays, it is a leading program in promoting recycling