The 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest

Can Manufacturers Institute & Recycling is Like Magic are back! 🎉 Schools across the USA are teaming up with local scrapyards in a race to recycle 2 million cans from Oct. 2024 to April 2025. Who will win? Let the recycling games begin! ♻️

States

Schools

Books Distributed

!

Cans Recycled

1,192,590

Total Cans Recycled!

🥫 2 Million Cans Recycling Contest Leaderboard 🥫

Ranking by most cans per student. Let’s hear it for these recycling rockstars! 🌟

🏅 Rank 🏫 School 📍 State 👧 Students 🥫 Cans/Student ♻️ Total Cans
1Fairplain ElementaryWV196,656126,455
2Lewisburg Elementary SchoolKY462,681123,305
3Mt. WashingtonKY1062,492264,145
4Mendon Elementary SchoolPA562,297128,625
5Flynn Park ElementaryMO461,47667,900
6Our Mother of Perpetual Help SchoolPA261,46137,975
7Yankeetown Elementary SchoolIN521,02353,200
8Southaven ElementaryMS131830108,780
9L.E. Willson ElementaryAL7867252,430
10Environmental Charter SchoolPA10565768,985
11Our Lady of Fatima Catholic SchoolLA9950049,455
12Rich Pond Elementary SchoolKY15038056,980
13Sherwood Forest Elementary STEAM SchoolWA7236826,460
14La Vega Elementary SchoolTX1749817,080
15Big Country ElementaryTX145659,380
16Bradley West ElementaryIL127111,435
17Marya Yates Elementary SchoolIL4600
18David Lawrence Jr. K-8 CenterFL16100
🏁 Total 1,685 1,192,590

Learn how rewarding recycling can be!

Awards:

1st Place $3,000

Prize

2nd Place $2,000

Prize

3rd Place $1,000

Prize

75,000 Cans Pizza Party

For 2nd or 3rd grade

150,000 Cans $500 Bonus

Per School

** Schools keep 100% of the money earned from the cans they recycle! We use 35 cans for one pound

** Rankings are determined by the total number of cans recycled, divided by the number of students who received free copies of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans at each school.

Program Guide

Learn More

Recycling Pledge

Learn More

Press Release

Learn More

Can drop locations

View Map

75,000 Can Pizza Party Winners!

264,145 Cans

106 students

128,625 Cans

56 Students

126,455 Cans

19 Students

123,305 Cans

46 Students

108,780 Cans

131 Students

150,000 Can $500 Bonus Winner!

264,145 Cans

106 students

School Leaderboard:

Ranks are based on cans per student! in 2nd or 3rd grade!

1st

6,656 Cans per student

19 Students West Virginia

2nd

2,681 Cans per student

46 Students Kentucky

3rd

2,492 Cans per student

106 Students Kentucky

4th

2,297 Cans per student

56 Students Pennsylvania

5th

1,476 Cans per student

46 Students Missouri
67,900 Cans

1,461 Cans per student

26 Students Pennsylvania

1,023 Cans per student

52 Students Indiana

830 Cans per student

131 Students Mississippi

672 Cans per student

78 Students Alabama
52,430 Cans

657 Cans per student

105 Students Pennsylvania

500 Cans per student

99 Students Louisiana

380 Cans per student

150 Students Kentucky

368 Cans per student

72 Students Washington

98 Cans per student

174 Students Texas

65 Cans per student

145 Students Texas

11 Cans per student

127 Students llinois

Cans per student

46 Students Illinois

Cans per student

161 Students Florida

Total weight

UBC Recycled Beverage Cans (Aluminum)
Ranks are based on cans per student!

Aamazing Can Manufacturers Institute Sponsors!

Ardagh Metal Packaging

Schools: Marya Yates & Southaven Elementary
Learn More

Canpack

School: Our Mother of Perpetual Help School
Learn More

Constellium

Schools: L.E. Willson Elementary & Fairplain Elementary
Learn More

Crown Cork & Seal

Schools: Bradley West & Rich Pond
Learn More

Envases

Schools: La Vega & Big Country Elementary
Learn More

Kaiser Aluminum

Schools: Yankeetown Elementary School
Learn More

Logan Aluminum

School: Lewisburg Elementary School
Learn More

Novelis

School: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Learn More

PPG

School: Environmental Charter School
Learn More

Sherwin-Williams

School: Mendon Elementary School
Learn More

Tri-Arrows Aluminum

School: Mt. Washington
Learn More

Meet the C♻️♻️L Scrapyards!

Alter Trading

School: Flynn Park Elementary
Learn More

Big Daddy Scrap

Schools: Bradley West & Marya Yates
Learn More

CMC Recycle

School: Big Country Elementary
Learn More

Cumberland Scrap

School: Lewisburg Elementary
Learn More

Grade A Auto and Recycling

School: Mt. Washington
Learn More

Iskiwitz Metal

School: Southaven Elementary
Learn More

Louisiana Scrap Metal

School: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Learn More

M. Lipsitz and Co.

School: La Vega Elementary
Learn More

Mon Valley Recycling

Schools: Environmental Charter & Mendon
Learn More

Radius Recycling

School: Sherwood Forest Elementary STEAM School
Learn More

RJ Recycling

School: Fairplain Elementary
Learn More

SA Recycling

Schools: L.E. Willson, David Lawrence, Yankeetown & Rich Pond
Learn More

Sahd Metal

School: Our Mother of Perpetual Help School
Learn More

CMI

Can Manufacturers Institue
Learn More

Where to drop cans

#2millioncans
View Map

Our amazing recyclers have made the news!
📰🍿♻️🥳

Fairplain Elementary, West Virginia
The book that sparked a movement

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

Did you know that the USA recycles only 45% of cans, even though they're 100% recyclable? Let's turn that number around by teaching kids how they can make a difference!

Meet Ellie, the unicorn-loving, can-recycling superstar who's on a mission to save the planet. When she discovers that she can get money for recycling cans, she sets her sights on collecting one million of them to buy her very own unicorn. But she can't do it alone, so she enlists the help of her friends and the entire school to join in her crusade. Will they succeed? You'll have to read the book to find out!

How many cans will you recycle?

Take the can recycling pledge

Students across the USA are solving the recycling crisis by taking the can recycling pledge. They vow to never throw a can in the trash for the rest of their lives. Join us today in making a difference!

Congratulations

You are a Recycling Rockstar!

You helped recycle a Million Cans in the Million Cans Recycling Contest, you've made a huge impact. Write your name on this certificate to celebrate your amazing achievement! 🌟♻️

Check out photos of our amazing recycling superheros on our Facebook page.

#2MILLIONCANS

Which state will recycle the most? The USA recycles only 45% of cans—we CAN do better!

Million Cans Recycling Contest Reviews!

Yankeetown Elementary

Taunya Kirsch
4th grade teacher & Environmental Club sponsor at Yankeetown Elementary.

Million Cans Recycling Contest Review

Our school has really enjoyed participating in The Million Cans Recycling Contest. It was great having our students & community all bring in cans to recycle instead of throwing them in the trash can. Hopefully those will have a lasting impact & everyone remembers how easy & valuable it is to recycle. “

La Vega Elementary

Laura Klander
Assistant Principal La Vega Elementary

Million Cans Recycling Contest Review

On behalf of La Vega Elementary, I want to express how truly grateful we are that Jessica, at Recycling is like Magic! (Scrap University Kids) in Bellevue, Washington, found and selected our school to represent all of Texas! We have had the best time working together on this amazing project all year. Yes, it is sticky, stinky, messy, and cumbersome, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Our school district united, we met new friends in the business community, and we hope to continue with our pledge to "never throw away another can again."

Jessica, you have had a tremendous impact in your first year. I cannot wait to read your next books, follow, and support you."

Program Guide

Recycling is like Magic teaches kids that ALL metal can be recycled and has value at local scrapyards. Let’s save the planet one can at a time! 🌎♻️🌟

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