Million Cans – Recycling is like Magic!

Learn how rewarding recycling can be!

What: A fun contest where schools, scrapyards and aluminum companies team up to see which school can recycle the most aluminum cans per student.

Why: Only 45% of cans get recycled in the USA. We need your help to make a difference!

When: October 15, 2023 to May 16, 2024

Who: 3rd graders at 8 elementary schools across the USA

Where:

L.E. Willson Elementary, Sheffield, AL
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Constellium
- Scrap Yard: S.A. RECYCLING
Rich Pond Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Crown Holdings
- Scrap Yard: Parrish Recycling
Yankeetown Elementary School, Newburgh, IN
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Kaiser Aluminum
- Scrap Yard: S.A. RECYCLING
Lewisburg Elementary School, Logan, KY
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champions: Novelis and Tri-Arrows
- Scrap Yard: Cumberland Scrap Processors
Pleasant Hill Elementary, Olive Branch, MS
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Ardagh Metal Packaging
- Scrap Yards: Iskiwitz Metals & Nesbit Recycling
Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Ephrata, PA
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: CANPACK
- Scrap Yard: Sahd Metal Recycling
William M. Reeves Elementary School, Summerville, SC
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Ardagh Metal Packaging
- Scrap Yard: B&D Scrap Metal Inc.
La Vega Elementary School, Waco, TX
- Aluminum Beverage Can Industry Champion: Envases
- CMC Recycling & M. Lipitz

Steps:

Local scrapyards dropped off a large bins to the school parking lots.
Students and the community filled them up with empty aluminum cans.
Schools got to keep the money from the cans they recycled, learned a lot, and had fun!

AMAZING Results:

1^st Place: Yankeetown Elementary in Newburgh, IN, will receive a $3,000 prize.
2^nd Place: Lewisburg Elementary in Logan, KY, will receive a $1,000 prize.
3^rd Place: Rich Pond Elementary in Bowling Green, KY, will receive a $500 prize.

1,374, 100 cans were recycled
39,260 LBS of aluminum
$21,000 was paid to the schools for their cans and prize money
918 students got FREE copies of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans and made a HUGE impact on their communities. We are so proud of them!

The Million Cans Recycling Contest is a win-win help our planet and your local school by recycling cans!

See photos from the contest on social media #MillionCans

We are starting up the 2 Million Cans Recycling contest from October 2024 to April 2025. Who will win? #2MillionCans

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!

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!

‘Million Cans Recycling Contest’ Exceeded Expectations

Congrats to the 8 elementary schools that rocked the MillionCans Recycling Contest! ♻️ Combined they collected more than 1.3 million empty aluminum beverage cans! Special thanks to the amazing CMI members that supported this project We cannot wait to do it again in the fall.

And now, drumroll please! 🥁🎉 The top-3 schools that collected the most cans (per students participating) are…
🏆1st Place: Yankeetown Elementary will receive a $3,000 prize!
🏆2nd Place: Lewisburg Elementary will receive a $1,000 prize!
🏆3rd Place: Rich Pond Elementary will receive a $500 prize!

🌟Let's celebrate their awesome efforts in making such a difference!

The next round will run from October 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025.

Meet the AMAZING schools who recycled over 1.3 MILLION cans from Oct 2023 to May 2024!

918 Students
8 Elementary Schools
1,374,100 Total Cans Recycled
39,260 LBS of Aluminum

Our Mother of Perpetual Help
Pennsylvania

You are a Recycling Rockstar!

By helping recycle over 1.3 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! 🌟♻️

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

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. “

Taunya Kirsch

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

The Million Cans Recycling Contest!

Learn how rewarding recycling can be!

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

Take the can recycling pledge

‘Million Cans Recycling Contest’ Exceeded Expectations

Meet the AMAZING schools who recycled over 1.3 MILLION cans from Oct 2023 to May 2024!

You are a Recycling Rockstar!

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

Contact

Social Media

Books

Helpful Links

Websites

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! 🌎♻️🌟