Japan Aluminium Can Recycle Rate Hits Record 91.7% in F2005

Japanese beverage aluminium can recycling rate increased by 5.6 percentage points to record 91.7% in fiscal 2005 ended March 2006, which exceeded 90% for the first time, from fiscal 2004, announced by Japan Aluminum Can Recycling Association on Thursday. Aluminium collecting activity improved when aluminium primary ingot price surged lifting aluminium can scrap price. The higher recycling rate also attributed that the higher price reduced export and domestic inventory held by distributors. The recycling rate toped 87.5% of steel beverage can recycling rate in 2003. The denominator of consumption was 301,558 tonnes or 18.43 billion units while the numerator of recycling usage was 276,427 tonnes or 16.86 billion units in fiscal 2005. The recycling rate exceeded 90%. The association said the recycling rate jump in 2005 was due to higher demand for automobile castings and steel making deoxidant under firm activity.