A deposit return scheme in Slovakia offers beverage producers including Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko (part of Asahi Europe & International) the opportunity to purchase collected cans to recycle them and make them into new ones. It is the first scheme of its kind in Europe allowing producers this option. Today, we are proud to be part of this scheme that allows us to close the life cycle of our cans. From 2023, we will increase the share of recycled content in the body of our cans to 75% across full portfolio.
The higher content of recycled aluminium also means that the carbon footprint of cans will reduce by 39% per year. As part of the process testing, Prazdroj has already recycled the first 200 tonnes of collected material into new cans this year. Increasing the share of recycled material in our products also means we will be able to reduce our total carbon footprint in Slovakia by 6,700 tonnes CO2e next year.
In Slovakia, the company’s strategic goals are for all consumer product packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2030, with packaging must contain at least 50% recycled material at the same time. This is a goal that we will meet next year – seven years earlier than initially planned.
“All our cans for the Slovak market will now be made of three-quarters recycled material, thanks to material collection from the Slovak deposit return scheme. In practice, this means that a collected can will become a can again. We will be able to save another 460 tonnes of virgin aluminium in Slovakia next year.”
Martina Vajskebrová, Raw Material & Packaging Manager, Plzeňský Prazdroj Slovensko
