Beverage Container Recycling Summit Nov. 5-7 2004 Blue Mountain Lake, NY The State of Wasting and Recycling Beverage Containers in America Jennifer Gitlitz,

Beverage Container Recycling SummitNov. 5-7 2004

Blue Mountain Lake, NY

The State of Wasting and Recycling

Beverage Containers in America

Jennifer Gitlitz, Research Director

© Container Recycling Institute, 2004

U.S. Beverage Container Recycling Rates

1990-2003

60.9%

44.3%

65.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%19

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Aluminum Cans



1990-2003 65.0%

44.3%

60.9%

24.5%

37.3%

21.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%19

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

PET beverage bottles

Aluminum Cans



1990-2003 60.9%

44.3%

65.0%

21.4%

37.3%

24.5%25.5%

33.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%19

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

PET beverage bottles

Glass bottles

Aluminum Cans



1990-2003


Apparent Paradox: Growing Curbside

Recycling, Shrinking Recycling Rate

49%

15%

51%

35%

55%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%19

90

1990: 2,711 curbside programs37 million people served15% of U.S. population

2002: 8,875 curbside programs139 million people served49% of U.S. population


Beverage Containers Sold, Recycled and Wasted in the U.S., 1990-2003

129

183

65

63

120

64

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

20019

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

(bil

lion

)

Sales: 42% increase

Wasting: 87% increase

Recycling: 3% decrease


Reasons for the Increase in Beverage Container Waste

1. Growth in beverage sales (units sold)

2. Growth in sales of “new age” beverages not covered by existing deposit laws (except in Maine & CA)

3. Increase in away-from-home consumption

4. Increase in contamination of recyclables collected through curbside recycling--esp. glass

5. Declining value of nickel deposit in bottle bill states and declining value of scrap aluminum cans in non-bottle bill states


Composition of U.S. PET Bottles Available for Recycling, 1999-2002

Note: Carbonated Soft Drink (CSD) percentage plus Custom Container percentage adds up to 100%. iPET (individual) includes both CSD and Custom.Source: NAPCOR, Oct. 2004.

55%

60%

40%

50%

45%

50%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

1999 2000 2001 2002

iPET ContainersCustom ContainersCarbonated Soft Drinks


U.S. PET Bottled Water Sales (billions of units)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Includes domestic and imported sparkling and non-sparkling water in plastic bottles of 1.5 liters or less. Data derived from the Beverage Marketing Corporation. Note: CRI estimated 1997 and 1998 imports.


Beverage Container Recycling/Redemption Rates in Selected Deposit States and Nationally, 1990 - 2003*

50.6%

34.7%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1990


C

hart

der

ived

fro

m C

onsu

mer

Pri

ce I

ndex

Declining Value of a Nickel: 1971–2001

1971: 100%(=5¢)

1981: 45% (=2.2¢)

2001e: 23% (=1.1¢)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%19

71

1981

1991

2001

e


Keeping pace with inflation:

Hypothetical deposit value based on a 1971 nickel

2001:$0.22

1981:$0.11

1971:$0.05

1991:$0.17

$-

$0.05

$0.10

$0.15

$0.20

$0.2519

71

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

e



1990-2003

60.9%

44.3%

65.0%

19.6%

33.1%

20.9% 25.5%

33.0%

54.4%

36.0%

50.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%19

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

PET plastic (all bottles)Glass bottles

Curbside Access

Aluminum Cans

All three materials

1990: 2,711 curbside programs37 million people served (15% of U.S. population)

2002: 8,875 curbside programs -- 139 million people served(50% of U.S. population)

Documents

Beverage Container Recycling Summit Nov. 5-7 2004 Blue Mountain Lake, NY The State of Wasting and Recycling Beverage Containers in America Jennifer Gitlitz,