Beverage Container Recycling

Increasing recovery and recycled content

Packaging accounts for the largest percentage of a beverage product’s carbon footprint–between 30% and 70%, depending on the material type used, whether aluminum, glass, or PET. In addition, approximately 6% of all packaging waste by weight in municipal waste streams is attributed to beverage containers. Recognizing that beverage container recycling has a direct impact on environmental sustainability and climate change, BIER is working to increase the recyclability of beverage packaging, increase container recovery rates, and increase usage of sustainable packaging.

In the absence of regulatory post-consumer recycling mandates and extended producer responsibility laws in most of the world, with Europe being the exception, BIER members are looking to take a leading role in advancing beverage container recycling efforts through strategic partnerships, consumer education and initiatives to grow the market for post-consumer materials. To date, many BIER members have publicly declared beverage container recovery goals, a step in the right direction towards transparency and accountability.