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  • Aluminum vs Plastic
Plastic bottles rise in popularity

Fifty years ago, the single-use plastic bottle was introduced as a lightweight and durable packaging solution primarily for beverages. The plastic bottle quickly became popular with consumers and manufacturers due to its resiliency and relatively low production and transportation costs. What was not accounted for was its long-term environmental impact at end of life.

Growing environmental concern

In recent years, a groundswell of negative publicity and consumer backlash has emerged against disposable plastic products, particularly bottles. Images of bottles overflowing landfills and adversely impacting ecosystems have soured consumers and drawn the ire of environmental organizations and activists worldwide. As a result, many are calling for increased government and industry intervention to address the growing problem.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, plastic drink bottles are the third most common type of waste item found on shorelines – behind cigarette butts and food wrappers.

Novelis’ role in making a difference

As the plastics and beverage industries work to address the issue by investing in new recycling technologies and waste management infrastructure, there is also an opportunity to reinforce the benefits of infinitely recyclable aluminum and to promote it as the model of sustainable packaging for bottled water and other beverages.

As the world’s largest recycler of aluminum, Novelis has always been a champion of recycling and will continue working with all relevant stakeholders across companies, industries and governments, to increase recycling efforts and provide more sustainable packaging solutions to the beverage and can industries.

Working with our customers

In fact, Novelis is already working with many of its customers to determine how to sustainably provide the capacity and resources required to meet their growing beverage can and bottle needs. In addition, we support recycling education programs and collection centers that will ease the burden on landfills and help boost the economy by providing thousands of jobs. The advantages of aluminum are clear and Novelis is committed to supporting our customers by leveraging the benefits of aluminum to help curb the plastics epidemic and shape a sustainable world together.

1

The number of aluminum cans required to save enough energy to run a television or computer for 3 hours

The number of times aluminum can be recycled

60

The number of days it takes for a used aluminum can to be recycled and returned, brand new, back on the shelf

82 Billion

The number of used beverage cans Novelis recycles annually around the world

10,000

The number of locations in the US that buy aluminum, making it easy for Americans to redeem their used beverage cans for cash

The Sustainable Solution

Aluminum is the most sustainable solution for beverage packaging.

At a time when single-use plastics are overflowing our landfills and hundreds of millions of PET bottles are washing up on our shorelines, we have an obligation to promote aluminum as the model of sustainable packaging for bottled water and other beverages.

The advantages of aluminum are clear, and Novelis is committed to leveraging the benefits of aluminum to help curb the plastics epidemic and shape a sustainable world together.

Make a Difference
Here’s how you can impact change in your part of the world
Carry Your Own

Carry your own refillable, resealable aluminum water bottle wherever you go.

Choose Aluminum

Choose aluminum packaging when purchasing a favorite drink.

Recycle

Recycle your aluminum cans at recycling stations, knowing the infinitely recyclable metal can be 100% re-used.