Every Can Counts
Collection and recycling of aluminium cans
Italy participates in the great European “Every can counts” project promoting the collection and recycling of aluminium cans, also on the occasion of major events.
“Ogni lattina vale” is the Italian name of the “Every can counts” project, an initiative currently involving 21 countries in Europe and Brasil.
The project aims to encourage people to collect and recycle drink cans even when far away from the home or office, for instance when travelling, outdoors, participating in cultural or sporting events, and at concerts, rallies, matches or sporting events.
“Every can counts” was set up to promote separate collection of aluminium, which is already active in 85% of all Italian municipalities, with the involvement of about 48 million citizens, and which represents a feather in our country’s cap, given that we recovered as much as 74% of all aluminium packaging released on the market in 2022.
This percentage exceeds 90% if we are talking about beverage cans only.
The project has been active in Italy since September 2019, through coordination between CIAL and a European work group.
Cans and recycling at major events
The initiative has so far been promoted at a number of major events:
- il Moto GP di Misano Adriatico (13-15 Septemer 2019)
- l’Arrancabirra (Val d’Aosta 4-5 October 2019) goliardic mountain run
- Il Carnevale di Viareggio (February 2020)
- Il Festival del Cinema di Giffoni (August 2020 e July 2021)
- European Recycling Tour Genova (June 2021)
- Collection of beverage cans on the beaches of Calabria (estate 2020, 2021 ed estate 2022)
- Napoli Comicon (april 2022, april 2023 )
- International Recycling Tour Florence (June 2022)
- Firenze Rocks (June 2022)
- Pizza Village Napoli (June 2022)
On these occasions, CIAL has organised and managed a space focusing on the world of cans, can recycling, and the environmental qualities of aluminium: a material that is 100% recyclable and infinitely recyclable.
Site about the project: www.everycancounts.eu/it
Collecting in Solidarity: recycling in support of non-profit organisations
Long before joining the European Every Can Counts project in September 2019, CIAL had already launched a project for the collection of aluminium packaging, particularly beverage cans, in non-domestic situations, outdoors, during cultural and sporting events, on the beach, in the park or other “on the go” situations.
The project, called Raccolta Solidale or Collecting in Solidarity, has now become a part of Every Can Counts, and involves the world of volunteer work in the separate collection of aluminium packaging while providing non-profit organisations with a new source of funding.
The project was established in 2003, and since then countless non-profit organisations, voluntary associations and social cooperatives have joined in, promoting the separate collection of aluminium packaging in their local communities.
CIAL pays the associations involved in collection a fee of 60 cents for every kilogram of aluminium provided, and provides them with technical equipment for collection (die-cut containers for interior use and bags) as well as material providing information.
Benefits generated by Collecting in Solidarity:
- Social: the funds obtained from can collection will be re-invested for socially useful purposes
- Environmental: the initiative promotes activities aimed at protecting the environment
- Economical: aluminium recycling saves 95% of the energy required to produce new aluminium cans
- Employment: the development of collection produces growth in employment.
Message in a Can and Every Can Counts: CIAL works with Costa Crociere
Another aluminium can collection project, also part of the Every Can Counts / Ogni Lattina Vale initiative, is called MESSAGE IN A CAN, a project promoted by CIAL with Costa Crociere for the separate collection and recycling of aluminium beverage cans on large cruise ships.
“Message in a can” ensures recycling of aluminium from Costa Crociere cruise ships calling at the ports of Savona and Venice.
The collection and recycling of aluminium cans from Costa cruise ships represents a model of excellence in the maritime sector. Between 2007 and 2019, a total of around 380 tonnes of aluminium were recycled, equivalent to 48 million cans (2.5 million cans in the last year alone).
In addition to the important environmental benefits, the “Message in a can” initiative provides important social benefits: the payment made by CIAL for the material collected is redistributed to Costa personnel who implement aluminium collection and compacting operations on board the ships.