Water from a Brazilian source will be offered in a customized aluminum can at the G20 Brasil meetings until November at the Summit of Heads of State in Rio de Janeiro. In all, 100,000 units will be distributed to delegates and participants of the meetings, reinforcing the need to reduce plastic packaging in the world.
Aluminum cans replaced plastic bottles in the water supply to the participants of the discussions of working groups and task forces of the G20 Brasil. The initiative results from a partnership between Brasil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) and the Brazilian Association of Manufacturers of Aluminum Cans (in Portuguese, Associação Brasileira de Fabricantes de Latas de Alumínio - Abralatas). It provides a sustainable solution for water consumption at the country's G20 meetings.
Aluminum packaging can be 100% recycled and has the lowest average carbon and water footprint among all beverage packaging. There will be 100,000 units of mineral water from Águas de Lindóia, a city in the Brazilian state of São Paulo.
Brasil stands out worldwide when it comes to recycling aluminum cans, reaching very expressive rates yearly and maintaining an average above 97% in the last ten years, avoiding the emission of 16 million tons of greenhouse gases. For comparison, European countries recycle an average of 76% of cans, and the United States recycles 60%. In addition, recycling aluminum cans saves 5,000 Ghz annually, or the equivalent of 1% of the total energy consumed in Brasil.
According to Carlos Villanova, the G20's National Logistics Coordinator, "it is another partnership focused on sustainability, fully aligned with the priorities of Brasil's G20 presidency. The aluminum can packaging is a universal symbol of the circular economy. Its recycling contributes to the generation of work and income and, consequently, to reducing social inequality, one of the priority issues in the discussions of the G20 Working Groups."
Brasil stands out worldwide when it comes to recycling aluminum cans, reaching very expressive rates yearly and maintaining an average above 97% in the last ten years, avoiding the emission of 16 million tons of greenhouse gases. For comparison, European countries recycle an average of 76% of cans, and the United States recycles 60%. In addition, recycling aluminum cans saves 5,000 Ghz annually, or the equivalent of 1% of the total energy consumed in Brasil.
For Abralatas president Cátilo Cândido, the initiative sets a positive precedent for canned water to become a more present reality in events around the world. "Canned water showed impressive growth in Brasil, achieving 303% higher sales results between January and June of this year compared to the same period last year," explained the executive. "Seeing canned water gaining prominence at an event of the G20's magnitude shows that we are on the right path, presenting the aluminum can to the world as a truly conscious option that helps preserve the environment," said Cátilo.
The plastic problem
One of Brasil's priorities at the G20 this year is the tackle against climate change, a topic that has been discussed in Working Groups and the Global Mobilization Task Force against Climate Change, as well as in engagement groups like Oceans 20, which spotlights the critical issue of plastic pollution in the oceans.
An unprecedented study, coordinated by the Institute of Oceanography of the University of São Paulo (USP) and Sea Shepherd Brasil, revealed that 91% of the garbage found on the country's coast is plastic. With more than 70% of the Earth's surface covered by water, there is no way to debate a more just world and a more sustainable planet without a close look at the oceans.
At the ministerial meeting of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group held at the beginning of October, leaders of the G20 member countries reaffirmed their commitment to significantly reduce waste generation through circular economy initiatives, including the use of highly recyclable materials such as aluminum. The group recognized the need to mobilize resources and partnerships to support the nations of the Global South in the proper management of waste and promote the efficient use of resources.
The document also highlights the urgency of an inclusive and just ecological transition by creating quality jobs and including informal workers, women, local communities, and indigenous peoples in the circular economy value chains.
