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The Beverage Can in the United States: Achieving a 100% Recycled Aluminum Can through Supply Chain Innovation

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The purpose of this research is to analyze why recycled content is low (33–50%) in the aluminum can in the United States when it is technically possible to have a product that is made from 100% recycled material. A comprehensive literature review is conducted, followed by identification of five propositions determined with respect to the research problem. With respect to aluminum can recycling (and its research), there is a greater focus on the role of the consumer than the producer in the aluminum can supply chain system, which may impact on the role of innovation in addressing the problem. The upstream primary aluminum supply chain is vertically integrated and efficient within itself, but not integrated with the downstream secondary aluminum can market. Given the importance of the secondary aluminum market in the United States, there are significant recycling/efficiency/sustainability opportunities to address. As opposed to a dominant focus on consumers and their recycling habits, this study focuses on the aggregate aluminum can supply chain to apply innovation to the solution.

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Notes

  1. Novelis is the largest supplier of rolled sheet aluminum in the USA, and states its recycled content at 33%, as per its 2011 Sustainability Report. In a 2009 presentation, Alcoa noted that 50% of its can body stock is formed of scrap.

  2. Per Aleris Corporation, 2012.

  3. Buffington, J. and Lundgren, E. are presently researching a new milling technique for UBC that can be utilized in the front end of the secondary market process.

  4. Today, secondary aluminum processing can be cheaper than primary processing, but must continue to improve given the inefficient acquisition process of secondary aluminum.

  5. Per Aleris Corporation.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to express thanks to Ray Peterson, former president of The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), for his support of this project.

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  1. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jack Buffington

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  1. Jack Buffington
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Correspondence to Jack Buffington.

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Buffington, J. The Beverage Can in the United States: Achieving a 100% Recycled Aluminum Can through Supply Chain Innovation. JOM 64, 923–932 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-012-0381-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-012-0381-6

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