Elementary School Students Compete to Win in 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest

WASHINGTON, DC – October 1, 2024 – The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) announced today the start of the 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest. This contest is an exciting partnership with Recycling Is Like Magic! to engage students in recycling empty aluminum beverage cans at schools across America. The competition, which runs through April 30, 2025, will inspire environmental awareness, hands-on learning, teamwork, and community engagement with young learners.

“Last year, we challenged participating students to collect a million aluminum beverage cans, and they went above and beyond collecting more than 1.3 million cans for recycling,” said CMI Senior Vice President of Sustainability Scott Breen. “This year, the 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest is setting the bar even higher. The goal is to engage more than 1,600 2^nd and 3^rd graders in recycling best practices to see if they can recycle even more aluminum beverage cans.”

Schools from across the country will earn valuable funds and prizes throughout the contest to support vital school programs and infrastructure. Funding for schools occurs in one of two ways:

• Each school will earn money from the aluminum beverage cans collected and sold to a local scrap yard partner. Aluminum cans are one of the most valuable recyclable commodities, and scrap aluminum is paid at a market rate by the pound at hundreds of scrap yards across the country.
• Schools will also receive prizes for hitting specific recycling goals throughout the year, and three schools will be awarded top prizes. These prizes are sponsored by CMI members who will serve as Aluminum Beverage Can Champion Sponsors. Learn more about the prizes and view the full list of sponsors at the contest page.

“Recycling aluminum beverage cans comes with significant environmental and economic benefits, especially when we all work together as a team to collect and recycle as many cans as possible,” Breen said.

Aluminum can makers and suppliers are stepping up to support schools in 12 states: Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia. See the full list of participating schools at: recyclingislikemagic.com/2millioncans/

Every 2^nd or 3^rd grade student participating in the contest will also receive a free copy of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, the book that inspired this recycling contest.

“This initiative will teach students about the value of recycling used aluminum beverage cans, and how it makes a difference for people and our planet,” said the book’s author, Jessica Alexanderson, a.k.a. Scuba Jess, who is also the President of Recycling Is Like Magic! “Our youngest minds are leading the way in the 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest, and I’m excited to see what they will achieve this year.”

Follow along and track the progress of students participating in the 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest online and across social media with the hashtag: #2MillionCans.