The leaders in ASEAN for aluminium cans
complete recycling innovation

Thai Beverage Can Ltd., in collaboration with Anglo Asia Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd., UACJ (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and the Sustainable Resource Management Foundation (3R Foundation)

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Mr. Saroj Chayavivatkul (left), President of Thai Beverage Can Limited, and Dr. Vithoon Simachokdee (right), Chairman of the Sustainable Resource Management Foundation (3R Foundation).

The 4 partners are ready to showcase their innovation and international standard, comprehensive aluminium can waste management processes. They plan to recycle used packaging into new forms, reducing waste sustainably. With government support, this initiative could benefit the environment, economy, and society by promoting a circular economy through aluminium cans.

Saroj Chayavivatkul, President of Thai Beverage Can Ltd., stated, “As a leader in the Thai and Southeast Asian aluminium can and lid market, TBC is committed to being a sustainable packaging business model and leader. By collaborating with four organizations with a shared goal of reducing waste, we bring modern recycling technology to transform aluminium waste into safe, hygienic food and beverage packaging that can be 100% reused, enabling efficient resource circulation, reducing the chance of waste being landfilled or becoming marine debris.”

Currently, Thailand produces about 6.5 billion aluminium cans per year, with 50% for export and the remaining 50% staying within the country. Thailand is the only ASEAN country fully equipped for comprehensive aluminium waste management, thanks to collaborations with various organizations. The recycling process starts with Anglo Asia Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd., ready to recycle aluminium can scraps from the separation of aluminium cans from other materials, cleaning, cutting into small pieces, removing paint and lacquer, and melting the aluminium scraps in an efficient furnace to produce recycled material with up to 99% standard. Then, the material is passed on to UACJ (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a leading aluminium sheet manufacturer in Southeast Asia, to continue the process from casting raw materials at high temperatures up to 730 degrees Celsius for cleanliness and safety from contaminants, to rolling into aluminium sheets using advanced technology, under the long-cultivated operational expertise. TBC will then mold new shapes according to the type of use, both as raw materials for product production and suitable packaging, supporting the circular economy within a sustainable framework through research and creating product innovations that meet market demands and adapt to changing market trends continuously.

Recycling aluminium cans brings benefits across 3 key areas:

  • Economic: It boosts employment in the recycling industry, supports recyclable waste purchasing professions, including junk shops and itinerant buyers, which number around 150,000 nationwide. It also reduces production costs and the need for importing raw materials.
  • Social: It raises consumer awareness about proper disposal and recycling of used packaging, encouraging relevant agencies to integrate policies and seriously manage waste.
  • Environmental: It minimizes environmental impacts, a significant global issue, especially from aluminium mining. It also reduces landfill waste and marine debris, promoting the efficient and valuable use of recyclable resources to conserve the environment sustainably.

Dr. Vithoon Simachokdee, the Executive Chairman of the Sustainable Resource Management Foundation (3R Foundation), stated, “This cooperation focuses on comprehensive aluminium can recycling to develop an efficient model for reusing waste and reducing overall waste volume, aligning with the 3R Foundation’s mission to promote sustainable resource management under the 3R concept: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It also supports the design and innovation of products based on circular economy principles, enhancing resource reuse and providing competitive advantages to Thai businesses. This represents a significant step for Thailand in driving waste management to promote sustainable resource management.”

This partnership underscores the private sector’s commitment to addressing waste issues sustainably, recognizing the environmental problems from past to present, and pushing for “aluminium can recycling” as a waste management model. With government support for aluminium can recycling, it could enhance recycling within the country, benefiting the environment, economy, and society.

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