Yes, can lids can be recycled, but a number of factors determine how efficiently they are processed. Most can lids are made from the same material as the can itself-aluminum-which is 100% recyclable. This metal, per the Aluminum Association, constitutes the most recycled material in the world, with more than 75 percent of all aluminum ever produced still in use today. As far as the recycling of can lids is concerned, their size and shape may affect the process. Lids, much smaller as compared to cans, sometimes fall through the cracks in recycling facilities because of their size, but they are still worth something in the recycling stream.
The ISRI estimated that, in 2021, the rate of recycling of aluminum cans was about 50% within the United States. However, many of the smaller items such as lids easily become separated and are lost through this process, even when in collection bins for recyclables, because of their very size. Improvement will happen only if either an individual or a company first separates these lids along with the cans, setting them out for recycling. According to the Can Manufacturers Institute, if lids are left attached to cans, they will be more likely to be recycled efficiently because they go through the same processing machinery.
Some companies are already taking steps to make the lids of cans more recyclable. Ball Corporation, for example, one of the largest beverage can manufacturers, in 2020 introduced a new “easy-open” lid design that uses less aluminum, reducing waste and improving recyclability. This design innovation, according to a 2022 report by the CMI, is part of a broader industry effort to make all aspects of aluminum cans more eco-friendly.
An interesting example of progress in recycling can be seen with beverage brands like Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch InBev, which have committed to using 100% recyclable aluminum for both cans and lids. According to the EPA, making products from fully recyclable materials, such as the aluminum in cans and lids, reduces the energy required to produce new aluminum by 90% compared with extracting bauxite.
Besides saving waste, recycling can lids brings in some serious environmental dividends. According to Mark Schmidt, director of sustainability for Crown Holdings, “Even small items like lids can make a big difference in the recycling chain, helping reduce the need for virgin aluminum and lowering overall carbon footprints.”
Those who want further assistance regarding lids for cans may check out Lids for Cans. They can discover more about the environmental impacts and how best to recycle them.