Sustaining our environment requires a “can-do” attitude, as was demonstrated by schools participating in the 2009 Aluminum Can Council’s (ACC) America Recycles Day (ARD) National School Challenge. During a 12-week period last fall, 133 schools, representing more than 70,000 students, joined with aluminum suppliers and beverage can manufacturers in a national recycling competition. Collectively, they raised over $53,000 and recycled more than 48,094 pounds of used aluminum beverage cans.

To recognize hte efforts of the top three schools collecting the most cans per student, the Aluminum Can Council will award each school a $250 prize on Earth Day. The winning schools are:

• First place – Twin Lakes High School, Monticello, Indiana. The school partnered with Ball Corporation’s metal beverage packaging facility in Monticello and other businesses in the community to recycle 7,092 pounds of aluminum beverage cans, or 9.8 pounds per student. They raised $3,556, which funded the band’s new uniforms.
• Second place – Collins Intermediate School, Conroe, Texas. In another partnership with Ball Corporation, this school worked with the Ball’s metal beverage packaging plant in Conroe to recycle 3,845 pounds of aluminum, or 7.44 pounds per student, and raise $2,832 for the school’s Parent Teacher Organization.
• Third place – Academy of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, St. Louis, Missouri, teamed with Metal Container Corporation in St. Louis, to recycle 6.7 pounds of used aluminum beverage cans per student.

“In the spirit of Earth Day, we are celebrating the outstanding recycling achievements by these students and the lessons about environmental awareness and action that will last a lifetime,” said Robert Budway, President of the Can Manufacturers Institute. “Almost half of the participating schools have elected to incorporate beverage can recycling as a year-round activity and we encourage others to follow their lead in creating a sustainable future.”

The ACC’s National School Challenge is a friendly, intra-industry contest where beverage can manufacturers Ball Corporation, Metal Container Corporation and Rexam and aluminum suppliers Alcoa Inc., Arco Aluminum and Novelis Inc. partner with schools to see which facility/school team can recycle the most aluminum cans per student.

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About The Aluminum Can Council
The Aluminum Can Council is a joint effort between the Can Manufacturers Institute and The Aluminum Association. The vision of the ACC is to be the voice of the aluminum can industry, to promote and foster recycling solutions, to educate consumers and customers about the aluminum beverage cans positive attributes, and to explore new markets for aluminum beverage cans.