The Aluminum Association logo. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

                51.2 Percent of Aluminum Cans Recycled in 2004

    WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aluminum Association, Can
Manufacturers Institute (CMI), and Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries
(ISRI) today released statistics indicating that Americans and the can
recycling industries recycled 51.5 billion aluminum cans in 2004, for a
beverage can recycling rate of 51.2 percent.  This reflects a 1.2 percent
increase over the 2003 rate and the first increase since 1997.
    (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050520/NYF091LOGO )
    The aluminum beverage can is the most recycled consumer beverage container
in the United States. It amounts to more than twice the recycling rate for
beverage packages of other materials.
    "This rising rate reflects the high value of aluminum recycling," said
Craig P. Eddy, chairman of The Aluminum Association and president and chief
executive officer of Coastal Aluminum Rolling Mills, Inc.  "There are
tremendous social, economic and environmental benefits to recycling aluminum
cans. We encourage consumers to contribute to a sustainable environment by
purchasing and recycling aluminum cans."
    "Through such initiatives as Cans for Habitat, a recycling partnership
with The Aluminum Association and Habitat for Humanity, as well as a joint
public service campaign with Nickelodeon, utilizing animated character Jimmy
Neutron, The Aluminum Association and its allied organizations work to stress
the environmental and economic value of recycling aluminum cans," said Eddy.
    Recycling is offered through curbside pick-up to approximately half of
Americans, through drop off and "buy back" centers located in most towns, and
by donating cans to charitable organizations.
    "We are very pleased in the increase in recycling rates," said Bill
Barker, group director, Global Beverage Cans, Rexam, and chairman of the Can
Manufacturers Institute. "But there is still much work to do. We are looking
forward to working with the aluminum sheet suppliers, the beverage marketers
and legislators to promote the values of recycling to consumers to keep this
momentum."
    The aluminum beverage can is 100 percent recyclable into new beverage cans
indefinitely -- demonstrating recycling at its finest. Aluminum can recycling
helps fund the entire collection system. The aluminum can is the only
packaging material that more than covers the cost of collection and re-
processing for itself.  It also helps subsidize the collection of other
recyclable materials.
    Recycling saves energy.  Recycling 40 aluminum beverage cans has the
energy-saving equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. During 2004, Americans
recycled enough aluminum cans to conserve the energy equivalent of over 15
million barrels of oil.
    The Aluminum Association and CMI formed a joint committee called, the
Aluminum Can Council (ACC) to explore and implement new programs to increase
consumer interest in aluminum cans and recycling.  The ACC's Curbside Value
Partnership program is helping communities promote curbside recycling to
households, and their systems with value-based measurement for tracking
improvement.  Other ACC programs include can advertising, recycling promotion,
student environmental education programs, school and civic organization
collection programs, and other projects. The ACC recognizes and promotes the
value and importance of recycling.
    The aluminum can is a leader in recycling and has been for more than 20
years. In the United States, 100.5 billion cans were produced in 2004.  51.5
billion aluminum cans were recycled, equaling some 1.51 billion pounds.
    Robin Wiener, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries,
noted the efficiency of the aluminum can recycling process. "Recycling
beverage cans saves energy and money in the production of new products. By
recycling beverage cans, the public has the opportunity to simultaneously make
a positive contribution to cleaner air, energy efficiency, and reduced
landfill use. The industry has done its part by designing cans to be easily
recyclable. The public must do its part to help by recycling even more."


                           ALUMINUM CAN RECLAMATION

                                          No. of        No. of      Percent of
              Pounds of     No. of Cans   Aluminum      Aluminum    Aluminum
              Aluminum      per Pound of  Cans          Cans        Cans
    Year      Collected(1)  Aluminum      Collected(2)  Shipped(3)  Collected
              (millions)                  (billions)    (billions)

    2003        1,479         33.72        49.9          99.7        50.0
    2004        1,518         33.92        51.5         100.5        51.2

    % change      2.6%          0.6%        3.2%          0.8%        1.2%


    Notes:  (1) Used beverage cans melted by U.S. facilities plus exports of
                can scrap.  Includes imports of UBC scrap melted in the U.S.
            (2) Total pounds collected multiplied by can weight.
            (3) Annual shipments of aluminum beverage cans lagged one quarter.

    Note to Editors:

    The data used to calculate the 2004 U.S. aluminum beverage can recycling
rate are:

     Used beverage can scrap (million pounds):   1,518 million pounds
     Multiplied by the average cans per pound:   33.92
     Equals the total number of cans recycled:   51.5 billion
     Divided by the number of cans shipped:      100.5 billion
     Equals the percentage:                      51.2%

    The data used to calculate the 2004 U.S. aluminum beverage can recycled
content rate are:

     UBC recovery rate (billion pounds):           223
     Divided by the estimated net weight of
      cans shipped (billion pounds):             2.963
     Equals the content percentage:               41.3%


                           ALUMINUM CAN RECLAMATION

                                            No. of       No. of     Percent of
                Pounds of    No. of Cans    Aluminum     Aluminum   Aluminum
                Aluminum     per Pound of   Cans         Cans       Cans
    Year        Collected(1) Aluminum(2)    Collected(3) Shipped(4) Collected
                (millions)                  (billions)  (billions)

    1994            2,149        30.13         64.7        99.0        65.4
    1995            2,017        31.07         62.7       100.7        62.2
    1996            1,969        31.92         62.8        99.0        63.5
    1997            2,052        32.57         66.8       100.5        66.5
    1998            1,938        33.04         64.0       102.0        62.8
    1999            1,930        33.10         63.9       102.2        62.5
    2000            1,891        33.12         62.6       100.8        62.1
    2001            1,665        33.40         55.6       100.3        55.4
    2002            1,591        33.79         53.8       100.8        53.4
    2003            1,479        33.72         49.9        99.7        50.0
    2004            1,518        33.92         51.5       100.5        51.2

    % Change         2.6%         0.6%         3.2%        0.8%        1.2%


    Notes: (1) Used beverage cans melted by U.S. facilities plus exports of
               can scrap.
               Includes imports of UBC scrap melted in the U.S.
               1972-84 - Net Recipients of UBC published by U.S. Department of
               Interior, Bureau of Mines
               1985-88 - Estimated by The Aluminum Association, Inc.
               1989-present - Based on joint survey by The Aluminum
               Association and Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
           (2) Prior to 1989, calculation based on Aluminum Association can
               weight survey.  From 1989 forward, data provided by the Can
               Manufacturers Institute.
           (3) Total pounds collected multiplied by can weight.
           (4) Can Manufacturers Institute reported shipments of aluminum
               beverage cans lagged one quarter.

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