Every Can Counts, a global initiative dedicated to promoting the recycling of aluminium drink cans, has conducted an analysis for the first 4 months of 2025 based on official data published monthly by RetuRO, Romania’s Deposit Return System – SGR operator. The conclusion is that Romania is rapidly closing the sustainability gap. The national recycling rate for aluminium cans in January-April 2025 has surged to nearly 74% (the number of cans that entered recycling facilities compared to the total number placed on the market), more than doubling from 35%, the official figure reported by European Aluminium for 2022 for Romania.
The recycling rate also increased compared to 2024, when the yearly recycling rate for metal packages (aluminium drink cans) reported by RetuRo reached 49%.
This notable increase reflects a growing shift in behaviour — from passive disposal to active collection for recycling — driven by the launch of Romania’s Deposit Return System – SGR and reinforced by awareness campaigns such as Every Can Counts. Every Can Counts acts towards driving change by informing the public on how their small gestures have an impact in the circular economy. According to a survey that Every Can Counts conducted across several European countries, 75% of the Romanians chose the “encouragement of individuals to recycle more” as the initiative necessary to protect the environment, ranking higher than any other option.
“Cans are no longer seen as waste, but as valuable resources. And this is exactly the cultural change we aim to trigger. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable, making it one of the most valuable materials in a circular economy. Returning a single can may seem like a small gesture, but it’s part of a powerful chain reaction — one that conserves energy, reduces emissions, and brings us closer to a zero-waste future. The substantial increase of the recycling rate in Romania reflects the effect of the joint efforts of continuous communication and infrastructure that supports recycling,” says David Van Heuverswyn, Director of Every Can Counts Global.
Raul Pop, Project Director of the waste management specialized NGO ECOTECA comments on the increase and appreciates the long road that Romanians have taken towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
“This sharp increase shows how policy, infrastructure and awareness campaigns can work together. But to sustain and grow this momentum, we must ensure all communities have equal access to return systems and information about what is the role that each of us has to assume”, says Raul Pop.
The path from the recycling bin to shelf: 60 days, 95% less energy
The journey of an aluminium can is one of the most efficient in the recycling world. Once collected, a can may return to store shelves as a brand-new drink package in just 60 days. Even more compelling, recycling aluminium saves 95% of the energy required to create new cans from raw material— a major win for climate and resource conservation.
Unlike many materials, aluminium does not lose quality during the recycling process and can be reused over and over, indefinitely. This makes it not only sustainable but also scalable, supporting Every Can Counts’ vision of a 100% recycling rate by 2050.
Which Romanian counties return most cans?
In the four months of 2025, Bucharest, Timiș, Cluj, Ilfov and Constanța led the country in aluminium can returns, both in volume and consistency. These areas benefit from higher population and urban density, and more exposure to sustainability messaging — all factors that boost recycling participation.
When considering the number of aluminium cans returned January-April 2025 per 1000 inhabitants, the top counties remain, but with a slightly different ranking, in favour of Ilfov (28 068), Timiș (27 959), then Bucharest (27 594), Cluj (24 157) and Constanța (23 711).
Other counties including Brașov, Argeș, and Prahova also stand out for their proactive behaviour and above-average engagement, confirming that sustainability is taking root beyond major metropolitan areas.
“We looked at performance county by county, and what we see is the early stage of a behavioural shift at national level. Aluminium cans are no longer just a convenient and lightweight drink package — they’re fast becoming the face of responsible consumption”, adds David Van Heuverswyn.
Behaviour shift towards sustainable consumption: the can as a symbol of circular culture
More than a statistic, the 74% return rate is a sign of cultural momentum. Through creative activations in public spaces, digital storytelling, and partnerships with artists and media, Every Can Counts initiatives are building a new narrative: one in which recycling becomes a habit, and the aluminium drink cans become a symbol of it.
In Romania, Every Can Counts initiative is supported by CANPACK, an important aluminium drink can manufacturer and European Aluminium’s Packaging Group, which represents the four major aluminium can sheet suppliers in Europe. The actions aim to drive a behavioural change in the public towards sorting and recycling aluminium drink cans with a vision to achieve 80% recycling rate globally by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
Sources: https://everycancounts.eu.
*This is a Press release.
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