2023 "50 States of Recycling" report
highlights the need for more accurate data, policy and
infrastructure investment to improve statewide recycling
rates.
WESTMINSTER, Colo., Dec. 14,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Eunomia Research &
Consulting and Ball Corporation released an updated "50 States
of Recycling" report, building on the original, first-of-its-kind
state-by-state comparable assessment of common packaging materials
by using data on generation, recycling and disposal rates from
across the United States. Key
findings include:
- 9 of the 10 states with the highest recycling rates have
Recycling Refunds (also known as bottle bills or Deposit Return
Systems).
- While states with Recycling Refunds only account for 27% of the
U.S. population, they account for 47% of all packaging recycled,
51% of all aluminum cans and glass bottles recycled and 61% of all
PET bottles recycled.
- States with Recycling Refunds recycle 34% of packaging,
excluding fibers and flexible plastics (FFP), through closed-loop
end markets (i.e., can-to-can or bottle-to-bottle) compared to 7%
for non-Recycling Refund states.
- Nationally, the value of material diverted from landfills is
$2.6 billion, which only represents
32% of the value that could be captured annually.
- There is around $6.5 billion
worth of material that is lost to landfill annually that could be
captured through more effective recycling practices.
Since the last iteration of the "50 States of Recycling" report,
overall recycling rates across the country have stagnated or
declined. Several factors contributed to these declines, including
pandemic-related shutdowns at many recycling centers. Currently,
the U.S. recycles just 45.2% of aluminum cans. Getting that
recycling rate closer to 90% by 2030 would create opportunities to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) – in 2021, 79 million MTCO2e
of GHG emissions were avoided through recycling, comparable to
removing more than 17 million vehicles from the roads - and grow
our economy.
The updated report ranks U.S. states by recycling rates while
also examining the benefits of implementing policies such as
Recycling Refunds, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR),
which holds producers responsible for product management through
the product's lifecycle. When the two policies are enacted
alongside one another, the report found that states achieve higher
recycling rates, maximize closed-loop recycling (i.e.
bottle-to-bottle and can-to-can) and thereby deliver the best
social, environmental and economic outcomes for the U.S.
"The recycling rates in our report represent the real
recycling—versus collection—rate, meaning this rate is not what is
collected for recycling, but rather what is available to be made
into new products. Recycling rates in many states are still
measured in terms of what is collected for recycling, so to enable
a 'like for like' comparison between states, the collection rates
have been adjusted to show the real recycling rate. Having a
true assessment of recycling rates will better enable us to
understand what policy and program measures are needed to capture
more quality material, increasing circularity, reducing our
need for virgin materials and thus helping protect the
planet," said Sarah Edwards,
Director, Eunomia North America.
The 10 states with the highest recycling rates (excluding FFP)
in 2021 include: Maine (65%);
Vermont (51%); Massachusetts (48%); Iowa (45%); Oregon (45%); New
York (44%); California
(41%); Michigan (40%);
New Jersey (39%); and Connecticut (39%).
The 10 states with the lowest recycling rates (excluding FFP) in
2021 include: West Virginia (2%);
Louisiana (4%); Tennessee (5%); Alaska (6%); South
Carolina (6%); Mississippi
(6%); Oklahoma (8%); Alabama (8%); Texas (8%); and Colorado (11%).
When expressed as a monetary benefit, the total economic value
of recycling in the U.S. is approximately $35 billion, accounting for gross value,
employment income from recycling-related jobs and greenhouse gas
impact reduction – comparable to removing more than 17 million
vehicles from the roads. If effective recycling policies were
enacted nationwide, such as pairing Extended Producer Policy
alongside Recycling Refunds, the benefit of recycling would double
to $70 billion annually.
"Many consumers want to, and think they are, doing the right
thing when they put their can or bottle in the recycle bin.
However, collection does not equal real recycling. Creating a true
closed-loop system — where a can becomes a can, or a bottle becomes
a bottle — will require a well-designed recycling policy that
creates compelling incentives to recycle and expand recycling
infrastructure and systems to ensure the process is simple,
convenient and affordable for everyone," said Daniel W. Fisher, Chairman and CEO, Ball
Corporation.
As policymakers and stakeholders from across the supply chain
work together to enact meaningful policies and develop effective
recycling programs, the "50 States of Recycling" report should
serve as a resource for developing beneficial programs for the
future. How the next generation of recycling systems is designed
matters, and smart policies and programs that work together are
essential to deliver the best outcomes in the U.S.
For more information and state-by-state analysis, view the full
"50 States of Recycling" report.
About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum
packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household
products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and
services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and
its subsidiaries employ 21,000 people worldwide and reported 2022
net sales of $15.35 billion. For more
information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or
Twitter.
About Eunomia
Established in 2001, Eunomia Research
& Consulting ('Eunomia') is an international environmental
consultancy dedicated to adding value to organisations through the
delivery of improved outcomes. Eunomia has over 100 employees, with
offices in Bristol, London, Manchester, Brussels, Athens,
New York and Auckland.
Working throughout the UK, other EU Member States and beyond,
Eunomia's consultants have experience and expertise in
environmental, technical and commercial disciplines. For more
information about Eunomia, please visit www.eunomia.co.uk.
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"forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial
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not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, and
they should be read in conjunction with, and qualified in their
entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. Ball
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Key factors, risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual outcomes and results to be different are
summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including Exhibit 99 in Ball's Form 10-K, which are available on
Ball's website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might
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price of Ball Corporation's common stock.
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SOURCE Ball Corporation