Highlighting metal this Global Recycling Day

18 March 2026 marks another Global Recycling Day, where the world comes together to highlight the achievements in recycling by local and global groups, as well as identifying progress toward targets, and what is still left to be done to achieve those targets. 

For our industry, it’s more important than ever to continue promoting the infinite recyclability of metal, whether that’s through our professional platforms and business communications, or just in conversations with family and friends.

For this Global Recycling Day, Crown has partnered with Constellium, designer and manufacturer of aluminium products, to launch a global learning initiative designed to educate, inspire and engage. From the point of collection to the remelting and formation of a new can, Crown and Constellium highlight all recycling steps in no less than 11 languages spoken across North and Latin America, Europe and Asia.

In a social media post, the can maker stated: “We want to empower our people to feel connected to the purpose behind what we do every day, and the impact we can make by closing the loop on aluminium can recycling.”

To learn more about the initiative and take the interactive online quiz, visit: crowncork.com/aluminum-recycling-process.

The recycling of metal is of course not just focused on aluminium though, with many of steel’s advantages being shared by the likes of Steel for Packaging Europe, and both materials being celebrated across social media. With steel packaging recycling rates reaching 82 per cent in Europe (1) and aluminium rates reaching a global total of 75 per cent (2), both materials are increasingly returning to recycling streams and playing an integral part of a closed loop, circular economy.

How will your business be marking Global Recycling Day? Do share your stories with us!

Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
Keep in touch via email: [email protected], LinkedIn: CanTech International magazine or X: @CanTechIntl

(1) Steel for Packaging Europe figures

(2) International Aluminium figures