Japan Aluminium Can Recycle Rate Hits Record 92.7% in F2007

Japanese beverage aluminium can recycling rate was 92.7% through fiscal 2007 ended March 2008, which improved by 1.8 points year-on-year and hit the record high, announced Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association on Thursday. The recycling rate represented year-on-year increase for the first time since fiscal 2005. The rate could reach 95% in the case all of exported UBC (used beverage can) are recycled. Closed recycling rate, called “can-to-can recycling rate,” was 62.7% in F2007, which improved by 0.6 points from fiscal 2006 and showed year-on-year rise for 2 years in a row.Aluminium can recycling rate rose up when UBC price soared. Domestic demand for UBC increased in F2007 when aluminium scrap generation remarkably decreased after the start of Japanese new building standard law in June 2007.On the other hand, Japanese UBC export sharply increased for South Korea in F2007. Japanese aluminium scrap export for South Korea, most of which seemed UBC, totaled over 7,800 tonnes through F2007 increasing by 5,500 tonnes from F2006. South Korean secondary aluminium alloy makers seemed to increase UBC procurement from Japan.