A FY 2003 survey conducted by the Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association found that the recycling rate for aluminum beverage cans in Japan was 81.8 percent, down 1.3 points from the previous year. The rate reached record highs every year until FY 2002 when it peaked. The Association attributes the decline to an increase in aluminum bottles with removable caps, which are often thrown away as garbage.

Of a total of 297,047 tons (17.74 billion cans) of aluminum cans used in FY2003, 243,071 tons (14.56 billion cans) were collected for recycling. The recycling rate is calculated in terms of tonnage.

Manufacturing aluminum by recycling cans requires only three percent of the energy required for making it from bauxite (aluminum ore). In terms of electric power, the amount of energy saved by recycling in 2003 was 4,830 million kWh, equivalent to one month of power consumption by all 16.27 million households in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures.

To achieve an 85 percent recycling rate in FY 2006, the Association plans to call on businesses such as offices, leisure facilities, and restaurants, which have a lower collection rate than households, to collect and separate more aluminum cans for recycling. The Association will also promote awareness-raising about aluminum recycling.



Posted: 2004/11/08 11:54:54 AM
Japanese version

TAG Energy , Food/Water , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction