During the ’90s, after the fall of the **Soviet Union**, the Cuban economy entered a critical stage. In that context, the country began to **import canned products**, not for their content, but for the **value of the packaging**: **aluminum cans** became a **multifunctional resource**, used to manufacture **pots, containers, lamps, trays, and improvised tools**.
In households and workshops, these cans also served to **store water, dry food, or fuel**, becoming **symbols of subsistence and popular creativity**.
## Recycling as a survival strategy
Since 2008, **Cuba recycles 82% of its cans**, although it now faces a new scarcity.
Starting in 2008, Cuba managed to achieve an **82% recycling rate** for aluminum cans, positioning itself as an example of **human ingenuity in the face of resource scarcity**.
However, since the 2010s, the country has faced a **decrease in the availability of cans**, leading to a **desperate search in the streets** by citizens who collect them to sell to **state recycling companies**.
The compensation is minimal: **50 Cuban pesos per kilogram**, equivalent to **$0.15**, well below the **international value of aluminum**, which exceeds **€1.35 per kilogram**.
## Why is aluminum key to sustainability?
Infinite recyclability, high market value, and **strong environmental benefits**.
**Aluminum** is the **most recycled packaging in the world**, according to EcoMENA, and can be **reprocessed infinitely without losing its physicochemical properties**.
Research from the **International Aluminum Institute (IAI)** showed that aluminum cans **outperform glass and **plastic (PET)** in their ability to **support a circular economy**.
In addition, its **high market value** subsidizes the recycling of less profitable materials, strengthening **municipal waste management programs**.
## Environmental benefits of aluminum recycling
Less emissions, less mining, and longer life for **landfills**.
– **Energy saving**: recycling aluminum consumes **up to 95% less energy** than producing it from bauxite
– **CO₂ reduction**: each ton recycled avoids the emission of **9 tons of carbon dioxide**
– **Resource conservation**: it avoids bauxite extraction, reducing **soil and water pollution**
– **Less waste**: it extends the life of landfills and reduces **urban environmental pressure**
## Argentina: regional leader in can recycling
With a rate of 91.1%, the country is moving towards a solid **circular economy**.
Argentina is among the leading countries in aluminum can recycling, along with **Brazil (97%-100%)**, **Japan (92.6%)**, and **Italy (92%)**.
This practice brings **economic benefits**, such as **job creation**, the **boost to the recycling industry**, and the **reintroduction of aluminum into new production cycles**.
With **growing demand**, the country has the **potential to consolidate its leadership** in industrial sustainability.
