Rio Tinto: Rio Tinto and Corona Canada pilot Canada’s first specially-marked low carbon can leveraging ELYSIS technology

Rio Tinto today announced, in partnership with Corona Canada, the launch of Canada’s first specially-marked, low carbon beverage can, manufactured by Ball Corporation. The cans, now available through a pilot in Ontario, were made using aluminium from Rio Tinto and leveraging ELYSISTM technology. As part of this limited release, 1.2 million cans were produced with a QR code to inspire consumers to learn more about the cans’ low carbon footprint.

This pilot is a step towards putting a fully traceable beverage can in the hands of consumers. In the future, Rio Tinto will leverage insights from its START initiative to allow consumers to use QR codes to see exactly how their products were made from mine to market – including sustainability data.

Currently, around 70 per cent of the aluminium used in cans produced in North America is made with recycled aluminium (1). Pairing this recycled metal with Rio Tinto’s low-carbon aluminium – made with renewable hydropower – and metal produced using the direct greenhouse gas emissions free ELYSISTM smelting technology reduces carbon emissions by more than 30 per cent (2).

Corona Canada’s Marketing Vice President Andrew Oosterhuis said: “As a brand, Corona believes we have a responsibility to be an ally to our environment, recognizing that change needs to start within our own production lines as a tangible way we can help protect paradise and reach our ambitious sustainability goals. By continuing to introduce market-leading technologies in the beverage space, we’re leading by example for other companies and their suppliers to innovate and drive meaningful change for our environment.”

Rio Tinto’s Head of Sales and Marketing Tolga Egrilmezer said: “Leveraging insights from START, we look forward to putting more information into the hands of consumers, so they can see how we are partnering with leading brands like Corona to help deliver more sustainable supply chains and products. These specially-marked, low carbon beverage cans will showcase the responsibly produced aluminium Rio Tinto delivers, bringing together renewable hydropower and the innovation of zero carbon ELYSISTM smelting technology.”

This launch builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2020 between Rio Tinto and Corona Canada’s parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), to work with supply chain partners to bring AB InBev products to market in cans made from aluminium that meets industry-leading sustainability standards.