RIO TINTO, AB INBEV PRODUCE LOW-CARBON ALUMINIUM BEER CANS
Beer drinkers will soon be able to enjoy their favourite brew out of cans that are not only infinitely recyclable, but made from low-carbon aluminium.
Rio Tinto and Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer, have formed a global partnership to deliver a new standard of sustainable aluminium cans. The two companies have signed an MOU committing to work with supply chain partners to bring AB InBev products to market in cans made from low-carbon aluminium.
The partnership will also leverage outcomes from the development of ELYSIS, a disruptive zero carbon aluminium smelting technology. The first 1 million cans produced through the partnership will be piloted in the United States on Michelob ULTRA, the fastest growing beer brand in the country. Currently, around 70 percent of the aluminium used in AB InBev cans produced in North America is recycled content.
Through pairing this recycled content with low-carbon aluminium, the brewer will take a key step towards reducing the carbon emissions in its packaging supply chain, which is the largest contributor of emissions by sector in the company’s value chain. “We are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint across our entire value chain and improve the sustainability of our packaging to reach our ambitious sustainability goals,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Vice President of Procurement and Sustainability, North America at AB InBev. ‘With this partnership, we will bring low-carbon aluminium to the forefront with our consumers and create a model for how companies can work with their suppliers to drive innovative and meaningful change for our environment
Meanwhile Rio Tinto Aluminium Chief Executive, Alf Barrios said the partnership will work together to integrate innovative technology solutions into the brewer’s supply chain, advancing its transition toward more sustainable packaging and providing traceability on the aluminium used in cans.