Diageo backs aluminium recycling project

Smirnoff owner Diageo will build an ‘advanced’ aluminium recycling and manufacturing plant in the UK as part of a ‘ground-breaking’ project to reduce carbon emissions.

London-headquartered Diageo, producer of Gordon’s gin and Johnnie Walker whisky, has provided funding to establish the British Aluminium Consortium for Advanced Alloys (Bacall).

Bacall is a collective of industry experts who have united to create a circular economy supply chain for aluminium in the UK.

The collective will build a plant that will roll hundreds of thousands of tonnes of aluminium sheet in the UK. Diageo said this is more than enough for more than 400 million cans of its pre-mixed Gordon’s and tonic, and Guinness beer.

The new plant will aim to ‘cement the UK’s position as a leader in the adoption of carbon reduction and manufacturing’.

Currently, the UK relies on an energy-intensive’ supply chain, based on ‘unsustainable’ exporting and importing of aluminium, Diageo said.

David Sneddon, non-executive director of Bacall Aluminium, said: “Aluminium is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet – yet the 15 billion-plus cans made in the UK rely on an energy-intensive supply chain, that requires aluminium to be brought in and out of the country.

“By sourcing, recycling, manufacturing and supplying aluminium flat rolled sheet in the UK, we can localise and close the supply chain, providing substantial reductions in carbon emissions. This will help create a more sustainable aluminium industry and will secure the future capacity of ultra-low carbon alloys.”

Zero-carbon potential

Geoff Scamans, professor of metallurgy at Brunel University, explained that “aluminium has the potential to be zero carbon, but the entire supply chain needs to see a dramatic reduction in emissions”.

“The UK currently exports much of its aluminium scrap, yet at the same time, imports nearly all aluminium sheet,” he said. “By changing this, we should see a significant carbon footprint reduction.”

Once the new facility is up and running, the recycled aluminium will ‘significantly’ contribute to Diageo’s 10-year sustainability action plan, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.

Diageo said the plant would increase the use of recycled aluminium by making Guinness cans with 100% recycled material, and reduce the carbon emissions needed to export and import aluminium.

Furthermore, it would lower the need for raw materials used to create aluminium and use 95% less energy in the production of Diageo’s aluminium sheets, compared to traditional production processes.

Diageo has worked with Bacall since 2021 when it jointly financed a feasibility study with the UK government as part of the latter’s Innovate UK funding programme.

The study looked at how a large-scale circular economy strategy could be implemented for the UK’s aluminium sector.

Ewan Andrew, global supply chain and procurement, and chief sustainability officer at Diageo, said: “We are excited to be a part of a project that will ultimately change the production of aluminium in the UK.

“We are now seeking to work in partnership with business and government to not only reduce aluminium’s carbon footprint, but also to bring this part of the aluminium supply chain back to the UK.”

In December 2022, Diageo teamed up with glass manufacturer Encirc to create the first net-zero glass bottles at scale.

Last year, Diageo opened a US$110 million manufacturing site in Illinois, US, to help accelerate the firm’s ready-to-drink portfolio.