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Recycling beverage containers delivers many great benefits to the environment and also makes good economic sense. Recycling containers saves energy, reduces landfill use and helps combat global warming with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Each beverage container material type has unique processes and energy requirements for both manufacturing and recycling.

The amount of energy saved in recycling varies by material type. For example, recycling aluminium requires a mere 5% of the energy used to create the original products from virgin material, while plastic recycling requires only 30% and glass around 70%.

Aluminum is made from bauxite, an ore mined from the earth. It
doesn’t decompose or break down! When recycled, aluminum is melted
down and reshaped into new cans. In 2009, over 12,000 tonnes of
material was diverted from Alberta landfills (95-99% of weight
shipped is recycled with the remaining being moisture and contaminants.

Most plastic containers are made from polyethylene terephthalate
(PET) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), both of which are
petroleum based non-renewable resources. Shredded containers are sold to plastic recyclers who reuse the plastic to manufacture non-food
containers. In some cases, the plastic is turned into a fibre used to
make items like fleece jackets and vests. Over 80% of the materials
in PET, HDPE and LDPE are recycled, resulting in diversion of over
14,500 tonnes in 2009.

Clear glass containers are separated and crushed to form tiny spheres
used in the production of road marking paint. Coloured glass is used
to make fibreglass insulation for homes. 95% of non-refillable glass
is recycled (over 54,000 tonnes in 2009).

Refillable glass containers are returned to the manufacturer for
refilling on average 14 times. Containers that are chipped, damaged
or deemed no longer suitable for reuse, as well as bottle line
contamination, are culled out, crushed and recycled. Recycling and
reuse of glass beer containers resulted in almost 42,000 tonnes being
diverted in 2009.

Drink boxes (known as “aseptic” containers) and gable top juice &
milk cartons (referred together as “polycoat”) are made of up to
three material types: paper, an aluminum lining, and a plastic
coating. Containers go through a hydra-pulping process that separates the different material types. The resulting paper pulp is then used to make cardboard boxes of all shapes, sizes and colors. 80% of
material by weight is recycled resulting in 3,100 tonnes being
diverted in 2009. Waste cardboard boxes and bag-in-a-box containers
are baled and sold to paper recyclers for the manufacturing of pulp
suitable for tough objects like cardboard boxes and tubes.

Beverage container metal tins and cans are baled and then melted down to be turned into scrap metal, which can then be used as construction re-bar. 95% of weight is recycled resulting in almost 322 tonnes being diverted in 2009.