Japan Al Can Recycling Rate Turns Down to 87.3% in F2008

Japanese beverage aluminium can recycling rate was 87.3% through fiscal 2008 ending in March 2009, which lowered by 5.4 points from fiscal 2007, announced Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association on Thursday. The recycling rate became below 90% for the first time since fiscal 2004. On the other hand, closed recycling rate, called “can-to-can recycling rate,” improved by 4.1 points to 66.8% in fiscal 2008 from fiscal 2007, which represented year-to-year surge for 3 straight years.

Aluminium can consumption totaled 299,319 tonnes (18.43 billion cans) while the recycling volume totaled 261,338 tonnes (16.03 billion cans) through fiscal 2008. Both consumption and recycling volume became lower from fiscal 2007. One background is that secondary aluminium demand worsened from the plunge of automobile and steel industries in the second half of fiscal 2008. Another reason was that market dealers’ shipment of used aluminium can slowed after the market price plunged.

Meanwhile, “can-to-can recycling rate” maintained the uptrend. Used aluminium can demand kept stable from aluminium cans despite of low demand from other applications such as automobiles and constructions.