You might be recycling your beer can carriers wrong. Here’s how to do it right in KC

Joseph Hernandez
·2 min read

What does a Kansas City craft beer enthusiast do when they take home a six-pack and remove the plastic can carrier?

Throw it in the recycling bin, one assumes. Those can be recycled normally, unlike the plastic rings that come with non-craft beers, right?

Wrong.

In fact, plastic can carriers aren’t being recycled most of the time. They are incompatible with recycling centers’ sorting equipment and because of that, they get rejected at recovery facilities and sent to landfills.

Millions of can carriers are recycled improperly every year in Kansas City, according to the Chicago-based nonprofit Craft for Climate.

But now the group is working with a few Kansas City breweries to help you recycle your carrier correctly.

“People think they’re doing the right thing when they drop can carriers in their recycling bins, but because recycling centers have difficulty processing them, they might be doing more harm than good,” Alex Parker, founder of Craft for Climate, said in a statement.

“Our message to breweries and consumers is don’t throw these in the recycling bin because they’re likely not going to end up being recycled,” Parker said. “They’ll likely end up in the landfill, and there’s a better way and that’s to bring them back to the brewery.”

A graphic from Craft for Climate, stating that 88% of plastic can carriers end up in landfills. The nonprofit is partnering with breweries in Kansas City, asking patrons to bring their carriers to the brewery so they can recycle them properly.
A graphic from Craft for Climate, stating that 88% of plastic can carriers end up in landfills. The nonprofit is partnering with breweries in Kansas City, asking patrons to bring their carriers to the brewery so they can recycle them properly.

Craft for Climate is partnering with Kansas City breweries like Crane Brewing, BKS Artisan Ales and Friction Beer Co. to establish local collection points for plastic can carriers.

You can take any can carrier to these breweries and they will recycle the carriers for you or give them to Recyclverse, a team from Independence that can turn these carriers into flower pots and pet toys.

“With this, I’m assured that we have an end destination that won’t be complicated and that these people are turning (plastic can carriers) into something new,” Parker said. “It takes a big question mark away from what happens to these can carriers once you try to get them recycled.”

It’s a part of a larger effort from Parker and Craft for Climate. Parker started the recycling efforts with local breweries in Chicago in 2022 after a few years of planning. Once that got started, he wanted to bring the same plan to his hometown of Kansas City.

Craft for Climate Kansas City spokesperson Jeremy Hogan wearing a hops-themed shirt from the organization at Brew Labs in Overland Park.
Craft for Climate Kansas City spokesperson Jeremy Hogan wearing a hops-themed shirt from the organization at Brew Labs in Overland Park.

WHERE ARE THE PARTICIPATING BREWERIES?

  • Alma Mader Brewing: 2635 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City

  • The Big Rip Brewing Company: 216 E 9th Ave., North Kansas City

  • BKS Artisan Ales: 633 E. 63rd St., Kansas City

  • Crane Brewing: 6515 Railroad St., Raytown

  • East Forty Brewing: 1201 W Main St., Blue Springs

  • Friction Beer Co.: 11018 Johnson Drive, Shawnee

  • Fringe Beerworks: 224 SE Douglas St., Lee’s Summit

  • Limitless Brewing: 9500 Dice Lane, Lenexa

  • Servaes Beer Co.: 10921 Johnson Drive, Shawnee

  • Transparent Brewing Company: 14501 White Ave., Grandview