Report establishes link between recycling, climate, energy

Dec. 12 -- A new report due to be released, Dec. 17, claims to establish a direct link between beverage container recycling, climate change and U.S. energy security, and will evaluate U.S. beverage companies on their recycling performance.

The As You Sow report, titled "Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container Recycling Scorecard and Report," laments the fact that only one-third of the more than 200 billion beverage containers sold in the United States are recycled. The report evaluates 23 major U.S. beverage manufacturers on well they recycle and identifies industry leaders and laggards.

If all the beverage containers were recycled, it would have avoided 15.6 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, said Amy Galland, As You Sow research director and author of the report. Making aluminum cans from recycled material uses 95% less energy than using virgin materials, while recycling plastic and glass requires 30% and 35% less energy, respectively.

"Most people donīt realize that beverage container recycling has a direct impact on climate change and energy security," Galland said.

Contact Waste News reporter Joe Truini at (330) 865-6166 or jtruini@crain.com

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