Orla Rio and Mamba Water partner to replace plastic bottles with aluminum cans

Orla Rio, the concessionaire managing 309 kiosks along Rio de Janeiro's coastline, has partnered with Mamba Water to replace plastic water bottles and cups with aluminum cans. The initiative aims to reduce plastic waste in an area that sees approximately 7 million people monthly.

The project began as a pilot in São Conrado to establish a model sustainable beach, later expanding to Ipanema and Leblon. The partnership has the potential to prevent the consumption of roughly 800,000 plastic bottles—equivalent to about eight tons of material—within this year.

Aluminum was selected due to its high recycling rate in Brazil, which reached 97.3% for beverage cans according to the Brazilian Aluminum Association, compared to a 24.4% recycling rate for post-consumer plastic. The program, part of the Orla Impacto platform, also seeks to support the aluminum recycling chain and increase income opportunities for local waste collectors.