In nine years, from 2007 to 2015, 334 tons of aluminum were recycled from Costa ships calling at Savona.
CIAL (Aluminium Packaging Consortium), Costa Cruises and the Port Authority of Savona have presented, on board the Costa Diadema, 'Message in a Can', a promotion and development project aimed at the collection and recycling of aluminum beverage cans, under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Environment and Protection of Land and Sea.
'Message in a can' has two main activities: the recycling of aluminum from Costa ships calling at Savona and an awareness campaign created specifically for the citizens of Savona, and developed in cooperation with the city, to donate street furniture made from recycled aluminum.
The Italian Minister of the Environment, Gianluca Galletti, points out that “the project to collect and recycle aluminum cans on board ships, which was successfully launched a few years ago thanks to the collaboration between CIAL and Costa Cruises, has generated both environmental and economic results and benefits: concrete proof of how necessary it is to maintain a high level of awareness on issues related to waste prevention in all areas, including such an important field as the maritime sector. It is a positive experience, to be used as a starting point for the development of an increasingly efficient waste management system on ships, ferries, and in marinas and commercial ports.”.
Stefania Lallai, Director of Sustainability and External Relations at Costa Cruises, states that “thanks to our collaboration with CIAL and the Port Authority of Savona, we have developed an onboard project that has resulted in the recycling of 334 tons of aluminum over nine years. Our long-term goal is to extend this message of sustainability to the entire city of Savona and an ever-wider audience, so that these kinds of practices become part of everyone’s daily life.”.
The collection and recycling of aluminum from Costa ships in Savona began in 2007 and represents a model of excellence in the maritime sector. Between 2007 and 2015, some 334 tons of aluminum were recycled. Using a 33cl beverage can as a unit of measurement, 334 tons—equivalent to 27 million cans placed end to end—would cover a distance of 3,915 kilometers, the same as two seven-day cruises on the Costa Diadema in the Mediterranean. Again using the same parameter, 334 tons of aluminum can be used, for example, to manufacture 33,400 bicycles, 722,000 Moka pots, 221,000 desk lamps, or 37 high-speed train cars.
Since the project's inception, the amount of aluminum collected from Costa ships has more than doubled: from 23.2 tons in 2007 to 48.6 tons in 2015. In addition to significant environmental benefits, 'Message in a Can' also offers social benefits: CIAL's financial compensation for the collected material is redistributed to Costa staff who, on board the ships, are responsible for aluminum collection and compaction operations.
