US Discarded $1.2 Billion in Aluminium During 2023

New data reveals the economic and energy costs of failing to recycle billions of aluminium cans.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Economic Indicators

Isometric editorial illustration of a pile of crushed metallic cylinders in an industrial chute, representing the loss of recyclable aluminum. — The United States lost $1.2 billion in aluminum value in 2023, as 61 billion cans were sent to landfills instead of being recycled. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should the US prioritize better waste-sorting technology to increase its domestic supply of industrial materials?

The United States discarded $1.2 billion worth of aluminium in 2023, with 61 billion cans sent to landfills. This loss occurred despite recycling potentially reducing energy consumption for material production by 95.5%.

Why it matters

Recovering these lost materials could significantly reduce the nation's reliance on $26.5 billion worth of aluminium imports. It would also decrease the strain on power grids by prioritizing energy-efficient recycled production over raw ore processing.

In 2023, the US maintained a 43% aluminium recycling rate while landfilling 61 billion cans. Currently, net imports account for 60% of the total US aluminium supply.

The players

Greyparrot

This technology company develops AI-powered camera systems designed to track and characterize waste objects on recycling facility sorting belts.

Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility

Located in Brooklyn, this facility utilizes advanced sorting technology to recover significant quantities of recyclable material from the waste stream.

The details

Greyparrot Analyzer AI systems track waste in real time to convert objects into actionable data points. Facilities like the Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility in Brooklyn demonstrate efficacy, recovering 89% of aluminium on its lines or 91,000 cans daily.

The US discarded $1.2 billion in aluminium in 2023.
The US imported $26.5 billion of aluminium in 2025.
Greyparrot released these waste data findings in September 2026.

Macro View

This report highlights a persistent inefficiency compared to historical material recovery goals established by the 43% recycling baseline. It illustrates how the current trajectory of resource loss mirrors long-term challenges in industrial circularity.

The reliance on $26.5 billion in annual imports may influence domestic manufacturing costs and consumer prices for goods. Improved recycling efficiency could theoretically lower energy demand on local power grids by reducing the need for raw material extraction.

The takeaway

Maximizing the recovery of existing aluminium cans is a vital step toward reducing national energy consumption and dependency on foreign imports. Communities that invest in AI-driven sorting technology can significantly improve their local material capture rates.