Budweiser Brewing Co APAC Ltd, the largest beer company in the Asia Pacific in terms of sales revenue, has launched a ‘Can-to-Can’ recycling program in China to boost the percentage of recycled aluminum cans as part of its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 35% by 2025.
The program was unveiled recently at Budweiser APAC’s brewery in Putian, in East China’s Fujian province, as Budweiser aims to increase the number of recycled aluminum cans.
Jan Clysner, Vice President for sustainability and procurement at Budweiser APAC, said at a time when environmental consciousness and sustainability are paramount, Budweiser APAC will continue to spearhead efforts to support China’s dual carbon goals and aim to reach its net-zero target across its value chain by 2040. China has set an ambitious goal of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality before 2060.
Clysner added, “By focusing on aluminum cans recycling and a closed-loop system, we are setting the stage for more sustainable practices within the beverage industry.”
To date, Budweiser APAC has reused 6,000 metric tons of aluminum. The brewer started aluminum scraps recycle collaboration with Chinese can supplier ORG Technology Co Ltd and the aluminum sheet supplier Shandong Nanshan Aluminum Co Ltd during 2020 and 2021, and extended it further to be a close loop of can-to-can with more partners in 2022.
Its breweries in Putian, Wuhan, Hubei province, and Foshan, Guangdong province, have accomplished the can-to-can loop as they jointly signed agreements with related parties to recycle aluminum cans in 2022. It is a significant step toward sustainable practices by successfully establishing the can-to-can closed-loop recycling system.
Budweiser intends to broaden its collaborations, communication and awareness-building works. These activities aim to establish can-to-can recycling system as a strong pillar in promoting a green and low-carbon transformation across both China and the Asia-Pacific.
Budweiser has already collaborated with suppliers to introduce lightweight cans, reducing aluminum use and saving significant amount of the material.
