Novelis, the world's leading aluminum rolling and recycling company, has recycled 20 billion aluminum beverage cans in Korea, the company said Wednesday.
Its recycling center at Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, which began operating in October 2012, can handle 265,000 metric tons of aluminum cans annually.
Asia's largest aluminum recycling center processes used beverage cans from across Asia for re-melting and casting into sheet ingot. The metal is then rolled at the company's Yeongju and Ulsan plants to be supplied as new can sheets.
"The center is an integral part of Novelis' growth strategy as it provides an important source of metal and helps the company save energy and natural resources, as well as reducing carbon emissions," a Novelis spokeswoman said.
"In an increasingly energy-and carbon-constrained environment, our recycling business will be a key source of competitive advantage for our company and for our customers," she said.
With its economic and environmental benefits, demand for aluminum in the beverage can market is growing at 4 to 5 percent a year, according to Novelis.
Recycling aluminum uses 95 percent less energy, and produces 95 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than manufacturing primary aluminum.
Recycling one aluminum beverage can saves enough energy to run a television for three hours or a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.
Novelis recycles about 50 billion used beverage cans a year across the globe.