Water in a Can is the Best Plastic Alternative

Canned Water is Better. Here are the facts.

SO, YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY ACCUSTOMED TO CERTAIN BEVERAGES IN CANS. THINK SODA OR BEER. BUT WHAT ABOUT CANNED WATER? ALUMINUM CANS MAKE A GREAT SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO PLASTIC, CARTONS, AND GLASS.

But, don’t take our word for it, check out a few facts:

Aluminum has the highest recycling rate of all competing beverage containers. 50% of consumers recycled aluminum in 2019, while less than 30% of both plastic and glass made it to recycling bins. The 2019 U.S. carton recycling rate was calculated at just 16%. That means, while you might not necessarily think aluminum when it comes to water, choosing aluminum cans for your H2O statistically leads to less plastic in our oceans and landfills.

Aluminum can be recycled infinitely without losing quality or volume. According to the Aluminum Association: “Aluminum cans are recycled over and over again in a true "closed loop" recycling process. Glass, plastic, and cartons are typically "down-cycled" into products like carpet, energy-intensive building materials like concrete, disposable paper goods, or landfill liner.” So, while other containers may claim to be “recyclable,” aluminum alone can be used again and again (and again) without degrading. Did someone say closed loop?

Aluminum is super lightweight and durable. You don’t need to worry about breakage as you might with glass, so it’s safe poolside and in the backyard where people are often barefoot. As an added bonus, cans are easily stackable with a long shelf life, so they’re perfect for storing in closets and garages in case of emergencies.

Aluminum recycling happens in as little as 60 days. That’s right, the turnaround time for aluminum recycling is super quick. Aluminum can be thrown away, recycled, and back on store shelves in as few as two months. With recycling that fast it’s possible (though pretty unlikely, if we’re being honest) that you’ve actually used the same can (or part of it) multiple times.

Aluminum packaging contains an average of 73% post consumer material. Compare that to plastic, which on average use just 3% recycled material. Glass is better at 23% but still kinda stinks.

So, team aluminum or bust? Canned water is a great sustainable option when your reusable bottle is out of reach or you don’t have a safe refill option. Just remember, canned water can curb our plastic bottle problem. There are a few canned water brands out there, but Open Water is the only one that’s entirely Climate Neutral too.

Sources:

https://www.aluminum.org/aluminum-can-advantage