Every Can Counts analysis on RetuRo data shows that Romania has made remarkable progress in aluminium can recycling. In July, the returning rate reached 78%, while the overall recycling rate for this year remains steady at over 70%, more than double compared to two years ago, when official EU data registered a 35% recycling rate in Romania. The leading cities for returning aluminium drink cans are București, Timiș, Constanța, Cluj și Ilfov.
This rapid growth is driven by the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (SGR), increased private sector investment in collection and recycling capacity and campaigns, and a rising public appetite for sustainable practices. Initiatives delivered by organizations dedicated to sustainability, such as Every Can Counts’ “I CAN” art tour, help transform recycling from a technical process into a daily, visible, and meaningful habit, embedded in cultural and social life.
At the same time, a recent Reveal Sustainability & SGR study* shows that 21% of Romanians would recycle more if there were more educational and informative campaigns. This underlines the importance of combining infrastructure with awareness and communication to achieve long-term behavioural change.
Where sustainability is visible, recycling follows. Aluminium, a key driver towards circular economy
The latest data shows that regions exposed to stronger sustainability campaigns also lead the way in aluminium can recycling. Bucharest, Timiș, Cluj, Ilfov, and Constanța top the national ranking for aluminium can returns, reflecting how visibility and cultural relevance can turn awareness into action.
Aluminium cans are among the most environmentally friendly forms of packaging and the most recycled drink packaging worldwide. Unlike many other materials, aluminium can be recycled endlessly without losing quality. Every recycled can saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce a new one from raw materials, and within just 60 days it can be back on the shelf as a brand-new can. This makes aluminium a key driver of the circular economy and one of the most sustainable choices for both producers and consumers.
To reach the potential, we need both infrastructure and a mindset aligned with the principles of the circular economy. Public art installations like I CAN, as well as other activities run by Every Can Counts across the 21 countries where it is active, turn the abstract idea of recycling into a tangible, inspiring, and shareable experience.
In Romania, the I CAN tour is designed precisely with this purpose: to bring recycling into everyday life through art and public engagement, making the value of aluminium cans both visible and relatable.
This autumn, the “I CAN” artworks made of aluminium cans continue their journey: Every Can Counts brings recycling into public spaces and events
Every Can Counts, the international awareness programme dedicated to aluminium can recycling, is expanding its presence in Romania with the nationwide tour of the iconic “I CAN” installations. Designed by Romanian artist Sergiu Chihaia and built entirely from drink cans, these artworks transform sustainability into a visual and interactive experience, inspiring people of all ages to rethink the value of every drink can and to share their own as a reflection of unlimited potential.
This autumn, the artworks will be featured at major cultural, family and business events in Bucharest:
7 September – Kids and Family Siesta, Antipa Museum
13–14 September – Străzi Deschise, Museum of Art area
20 September – 2nd Life Toy Fair, hosted by Roaba de Cultură
20–21 September – Dorobanți Street Art Festival, Beller area, Dorobanți
24 September – Environmental & Sustainability Summit 2025, World Trade Center
30 September – Mind Your Business, Apollo 111
From October until the end of the year, the installations will travel beyond Bucharest, reaching Cluj, Timișoara, Brașov, and other major Romanian cities, amplifying the conversation about sustainability nationwide.
Each installation carries an inspiring message – I CAN DREAM, I CAN LOVE, I CAN GROW, I CAN CONTINUE, I CAN FLY, I CAN IMAGINE, highlighting the infinite recyclability of aluminium. By displaying these artworks in family-friendly events, museums, festivals, and city streets, Every Can Counts brings sustainability into everyday interactions and makes recycling visible, accessible, and relevant to diverse audiences.
About Every Can Counts (ECC)
Every Can Counts (ECC) Established in 2009 in the U.K., the Every Can Counts initiative is the leading programme to promote drink can recycling across the globe. It aims to inspire, encourage and empower consumers to make a difference by recycling their drink cans wherever they are –at home, at the office or anywhere on the go, from parks, festivals, and sporting events to schools and universities. Today, the initiative is present in 18 European countries, Brazil, the U.A.E. and the U.S.A. Details available on https://everycancounts.eu/.
In Romania, the Every Can Counts initiative is supported by CANPACK – a major producer of aluminium drink cans, and the four major aluminium can sheet manufacturers and recyclers.
*Studiu Reveal: https://reveal.ro/en/sustainability/reveal-research-study-sgr/
*This is a Press release.
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