The cans, which are described as “infinitely recyclable” are produced in a joint venture with Rio Tinto and are the first in the world to be made using metal produced through a revolutionary new zero carbon aluminum smelting process.
Rio Tinto supplied the metal from its Elysis joint venture, which is scaling up a breakthrough new technology that eliminates all direct greenhouse gases from the aluminum smelting process, instead producing oxygen. Leveraging this metal combined with Rio Tinto’s low-carbon aluminum made with renewable hydropower and recycled content, these are A-B’s most sustainable beer cans yet, with a reduction in carbon emissions of more than 30% per can.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we strive to find a better, more sustainable way in all that we do. Building strong communities means building more sustainable communities and by bringing these low-carbon cans to North Carolina, we are proud to set an example of how corporations, their supply chains, local government, and consumers can all work together to build a more sustainable future,” said Ingrid De Ryck, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Anheuser-Busch.
Ricardo Marques, VP-Marketing, Michelob Ultra said. “Sustainable packaging is a key opportunity to highlight our commitment to the environment in a tangible way and we are excited to explore the opportunities to bring this to life in 2021 and beyond.”
A-B said it is donating renewable energy credits to the City of Charlotte, offsetting the equivalent electricity used to power all city-owned facilities with clean, renewable electricity for a week.
“This is an exciting first step in our work with Anheuser-Busch to advance the transition toward more sustainable packaging and providing traceability on the aluminum used in cans,” said Tolga Egrilmezer, VP-Sales and Marketing at Rio Tinto. “Responsibly produced aluminum can play key role in helping our customers deliver the sustainable products expected by today’s consumers.”