RetuRO data analysed by Every Can Counts shows a strong alignment between collection, sorting and recycling, with the aluminium drink can emerging as a key indicator of circularity.
Global Recycling Day, marked annually on March 18, highlights the role of recyclable materials and the people involved in recycling, often referred to as “Recycling Heroes”. From consumers returning packaging to the collection and recycling systems that allow materials to re-enter the economy, every link contributes to the functioning of the circular economy. In Romania, the moment reflects a stage of maturity for this system: in 2025, 75% of the aluminium cans placed on the market were recycled, according to official RetuRO data analysed by Every Can Counts.
The result, achieved in the second full calendar year of operation of the Deposit Return System DRS, indicates the system’s maturation and marks the transition from a phase dominated by collection to one characterized by functional industrial recycling with measurable economic impact.
Romania’s progress, driven largely by the expansion of deposit return systems, reflects a broader European trend. According to the latest report published by Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium, the recycling rate for aluminium drink cans in Europe reached over 76% in 2023, the highest level recorded so far. The report shows that both the volumes of packaging placed on the market and the quantities recycled have increased year after year, while the recovered material generated estimated savings of 5.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, confirming aluminium’s role in the European circular economy.
At national level, current data indicates an accelerated evolution and Romania’s rapid alignment with European trends, as collection infrastructure continues to expand and industrial recycling flows become more consolidated. Before the introduction of the Deposit Return System DRS, the recycling rate for aluminium cans in Romania stood at around 35%, significantly below the levels recorded in other European countries.
“In the circular economy, real performance indicators always appear with a certain time lag. European reports on packaging recycling are typically published around two years after the reference year, as the data must be validated through multiple industrial and institutional sources, including extended producer responsibility schemes, deposit return systems and statistical reporting to Eurostat. This process reflects the complexity of the circular value chain, where performance is measured across the entire journey of the material from return and sorting to recycling and the reintegration of aluminium into the production of new drink cans,” said David Van Heuverswyn, Global Director Every Can Counts.
Circular economy still poorly understood: only 1 in 2 Romanians associates it with repeated recycling of the same material
The 2025 results reflect Romania’s readiness to move towards the “second phase” of the circular economy: a stage in which collection mechanisms are supported by consistent industrial performance and the material’s ability to remain in use through repeated cycles. In the case of aluminium, this is possible because the material can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality, including in closed-loop recycling – from can to can. Before DRS, cans were less likely to be suitable for true can-to-can recycling because they were more exposed to contamination from mixed waste streams. Within a DRS, however, drink cans are collected separately and remain much cleaner, which means that most, if not all, can be recycled into new cans, enabling a more efficient closed-loop circular system.
“Every Can Counts runs communication programmes about the infinite recyclability of aluminium drink cans in more than 20 countries, and we observe the same evolution in markets where deposit return systems are introduced. In the first years the focus is on collection and infrastructure building, while later performance is assessed through the system’s ability to transform collected material into recycled material. From this perspective, Romania’s results show a rapid alignment with European trends and confirm aluminium’s potential as a key material for the circular economy,” said David Van Heuverswyn, Global Director Every Can Counts.
Beyond the performance of recycling into the same type of packaging, aluminium also holds significant economic value within the circular chain. Recovered material can be quickly reintegrated into production, and its properties remain unchanged regardless of the number of recycling cycles. In addition, producing an aluminium can from recycled material uses up to 95% less energy than primary production, meaning recycling contributes simultaneously to industrial efficiency and emissions reduction.
Industrial data is also supported by a visible change in public behaviour. According to the Global Recycling Habits and Attitudes 2025 study, conducted by Made with Insight for Every Can Counts, most Romanians say they actively participate in the Deposit Return System and consider themselves personally responsible for recycling.
At the same time, the research highlights an important gap between behaviour and understanding of the circular economy concept: 53% of respondents associate circularity with the repeated recycling of the same material into similar products, indicating that the act of returning packaging is better understood than the economic value of recycled materials.
This gap highlights the need for clearer information about what happens to materials after collection. In the case of aluminium, for example, material recovered from a drink can can return to the shelf as a new can in approximately 60 days, without loss of quality. Programmes such as Every Can Counts focus precisely on this information component, explaining the material loop and the role of recycling in the circular economy through campaigns and activations carried out in public spaces, events and urban environments.
“The next challenge is no longer convincing people to return packaging, but explaining what happens to the material after collection. Circularity, beyond a responsible gesture, means economic value preserved over time and the ability of a package to re-enter the economy through repeated recycling. In this context, aluminium becomes a criterion for choice when consumers have options, because it is one of the few materials that can be recycled indefinitely without losing quality,” added David Van Heuverswyn.
In this context, aluminium can become a tangible benchmark for the transition from environmental policies to measurable economic performance, with impact on industry, production chains and the economy as a whole.
*This is a press release.
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