By Jason Giovannettone, Climate and Sustainability Director
Canned water is often recommended to minimize the consumption of single-use plastic products. A quick introduction of potential alternatives to bottled water can be found in the following video:
Aluminum is great because it is not made from fossil fuels and can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality. Plastic relies heavily on fossil fuels and can only be recycled a limited number of times. Glass requires large amounts of materials and energy during production, and due to its higher weight, it causes more emissions during transportation. Recycling glass also requires more energy than recycling aluminum and plastic.
The recycling rate of aluminum is higher than for plastic bottles (43% vs. 20%, respectively), with nearly 97% of recycled aluminum becoming new cans. Though some plastic bottles are recycled into new bottles, most end up in other types of products (e.g., polyester in clothing) as lower-quality plastic. The conversion of recycled aluminum into a new can requires only 5% of the energy needed to produce a new can, which is much less than plastic and glass.
Additionally, aluminum scrap is more valuable at $1,388 per ton; recycled plastic is $215 per ton and glass is $23 Therefore, by recycling aluminum you are essentially subsidizing the recycling of other materials.
One major concern with aluminum cans is that they require an inner liner to prevent metal corrosion and food contamination. These liners commonly contained bisphenol A (BPA), which is a hazardous chemical that can lead to multiple types of health issues. Luckily, many companies now sell drinks in cans containing a BPA-free liner.
Helpful Hint
If you need to purchase packaged water, consider purchasing a brand that comes in a BPA-free aluminum can composed of a high percentage of recycled material (i.e., post-consumer waste). Examples include Open Water (75%; Climate Neutral certified), Blue Can (45-70%), RAIN (up to 100%), and Proud Source (75%).
Sources: The Aluminum Association; Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)