PPG announced its second year of participation in the national “Million Cans Recycling Contest.” PPG is supporting more than 100 second grade students at Environmental Charter School (ECS) in Pittsburgh to collect and recycle aluminium beverage cans. For the 2025-26 school year, ECS students have collected more than 30,000 cans.

The Million Cans Recycling Contest is a nationwide competition between 54 schools that encourages elementary students to collect aluminium cans for recycling. 

The initiative, organised by Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and The Recycling Society, brings together elementary schools, scrapyards and aluminium can makers and suppliers to raise awareness about the circular economy of aluminium while providing schools with financial incentives and sustainability education. 

The campaign will continue through April 30, culminating in a May celebration event recognising top-performing schools in the contest.

“At PPG, our mission to protect and beautify the world includes recycling and there’s no better time to celebrate that work than Global Recycling Day,” said Meghan Barrera, PPG director, global strategic marketing, Packaging Coatings. 

“Aluminium cans are infinitely recyclable, making them a sustainable packaging solution. Together with our local and industry partners, we’re proud to play a role in helping children build lifelong recycling habits while contributing to a nationwide sustainability effort that needs attention in the US.”

Pennsylvania recycles just 25% of its aluminium beverage cans, well below the U.S. average of 43% and ranking 18th among all states, according to Eunomia’s 50 States of Recycling report. 

The gap is even wider when compared globally. Europe recently reported a 76.3% recycling rate, highlighting the impact of stronger recycling policies. 

In the U.S., eight of the 10 top‑performing states for aluminium can recycling have bottle deposit laws, with Maine leading the nation at 83%—the highest recycling rate for any material in any state. 

In Pennsylvania alone, recovering additional aluminium cans could generate an estimated $107 million in economic impact annually, while also delivering significant greenhouse gas reductions.

Ahead of Global Recycling Day on March 18, representatives from PPG, the Pittsburgh Penguins, CMI, The Recycling Society and Michael Brothers Companies joined ECS students for a pep rally featuring educational presentations, prize giveaways, and special appearances by Penguins mascot, Iceburgh, and ECS mascot, Hero the Hawk. 

The Penguins also recognised the students and partners during the team’s “Penguins Pledge” sustainability game, collecting more than 2,000 aluminium beverage cans to support ECS’s contest total.

During the 2024–25 school year, PPG helped ECS second grade students collect 87,535 aluminum cans, earning the school a top‑10 finish among 18 schools across 12 states.