Every Can Counts analysis: The return rate for aluminium drink cans reached 78% this summer
Every Can Counts analysis on RetuRo data shows that Romania has made remarkable progress in aluminium can recycling. In July, the returning rate reached 78%, while the overall recycling rate for this year remains steady at over 70%, more…
Every Can Counts analysis on RetuRo data shows that Romania has made remarkable progress in aluminium can recycling. In July, the returning rate reached 78%, while the overall recycling rate for this year remains steady at over 70%, more than double compared to two years ago, when official EU data registered a 35% recycling rate in Romania. The leading cities for returning aluminium drink cans are București, Timiș, Constanța, Cluj și Ilfov.
This rapid growth is driven by the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (SGR), increased private sector investment in collection and recycling capacity and campaigns, and a rising public appetite for sustainable practices. Initiatives delivered by organizations dedicated to sustainability, such as Every Can Counts’ “I CAN” art tour, help transform recycling from a technical process into a daily, visible, and meaningful habit, embedded in cultural and social life.
At the same time, a recent Reveal Sustainability & SGR study* shows that 21% of Romanians would recycle more if there were more educational and informative campaigns. This underlines the importance of combining infrastructure with awareness and communication to achieve long-term behavioural change.
Where sustainability is visible, recycling follows. Aluminium, a key driver towards circular economy
The latest data shows that regions exposed to stronger sustainability campaigns also lead the way in aluminium can recycling. Bucharest, Timiș, Cluj, Ilfov, and Constanța top the national ranking for aluminium can returns, reflecting how visibility and cultural relevance can turn awareness into action.
Aluminium cans are among the most environmentally friendly forms of packaging and the most recycled drink packaging worldwide. Unlike many other materials, aluminium can be recycled endlessly without losing quality. Every recycled can saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce a new one from raw materials, and within just 60 days it can be back on the shelf as a brand-new can. This makes aluminium a key driver of the circular economy and one of the most sustainable choices for both producers and consumers.
To reach the potential, we need both infrastructure and a mindset aligned with the principles of the circular economy. Public art installations like I CAN, as well as other activities run by Every Can Counts across the 21 countries where it is active, turn the abstract idea of recycling into a tangible, inspiring, and shareable experience.
In Romania, the I CAN tour is designed precisely with this purpose: to bring recycling into everyday life through art and public engagement, making the value of aluminium cans both visible and relatable.
