Number of Aluminum Cans Recycled and Wasted in the U.S.
from 1972-2004

In the year 2004, 100.5 billion aluminum beverage cans were sold for domestic consumption.
Of this, 55.0 billion were not recycled. The volume of wasted aluminum beverage cans
has increased by 760% since 1972, when 6 billion cans were wasted.