The role of packaging
- Overview
- Why metal?
- Recycling rates
- Recan
Ardagh’s packaging has a central role to play in helping our customers meet their sustainability objectives and commitments. Therefore, we have a strong team of dedicated health and safety and sustainability functions across the globe to continually improve our safety track record, reduce energy and water consumption and divert more waste to beneficial reuse. They actively set up and support local recycling activities, and help you with facts and figures.
As metal is a permanent material, it has excellent environmental credentials. Permanent means that metal recycles forever. When metal products reach the end of their useful life, the materials are simply collected and recycled, again and again, with no loss of their inherent properties and so will always be available for future generations.
Today 73% of aluminium beverage cans are recycled in Europe, making metal packaging the most recycled packaging.
Source: Metal Packaging Europe
Recan is a packaging recovery organisation in Poland owned by the Ardagh Group. The organisation works currently with five recycling centres across the country, collecting approx. 12,000 tons of used beverage cans (UBC) per year. The key target of Recan is to keep the beverage can recycling rate on a maximum level as well as ensuring a closed material loop.
Being one of the leading UBC organisations in Poland, Recan considerably influences the annual growth of beverage can recycling, demonstrating compatibility with the legal requirements and social expectations.
Since the start of Recan in 2002, recycling rates of aluminium beverage cans increased from 41% (2002) to 80% (2015) in Poland.
Advantages of beverage cans
Recyclable
Beverage cans are made of metal which is fully and infinitely recyclable without loss of quality.
Light-proof
Beverage cans are absolutely light-proof, protecting the quality of light-sensitive beverages.
Hermetic seal
Being absolutely airtight, beverage cans keep oxygen out and carbonation in, allowing beverages to stay fresh for longer.
Unbreakable
Beverage cans are ideal for large events; they have a low risk of leaking or tearing during transportation.
Stackable
Cans can be stacked to make maximum use of storage.
Lightweight
The wall of today’s beverage can is as thin as a human hair. Thanks to ongoing research and development, it is now possible to manufacture cans with far less material than before. Light and convenient, beverage cans are great for refreshment on the go.
Fresh
Beverage cans chill quickly and feel extra fresh to the touch. The characteristic sound of a can opening is a unique indicator that the drink inside is absolutely fresh.