According to the European Aluminium Association (Eaa), in 2012 the rate of aluminium can recycling reached 70%. This was an increase of 1.5% over the previous year and an important step on the path towards voluntary objectives that the Association has set itself for the coming years. The goal is to reach 80% by 2020, with an intermediate stage of 75% for 2015. Commenting on the data, the representatives of the Eaa have called for greater investment in infrastructure for recycling in the EU Member States. EU and Member State funds should be used more intelligently, according to the Eaa, respecting the hierarchy established by EU directives on waste management, with particular emphasis on methods of collection and innovative sorting solutions. The Association also hopes to gradually introduce a ban on the disposal of recyclable waste packaging in landfill, maintaining the incineration as a secondary option for the fraction of unsorted municipal solid waste. Today more than 27.5 billion cans remain within the European circular economy and are available for the manufacture of new aluminium products, as reported by the Eaa. According to the association, the cans collected correspond to a total of 390,000 tonnes of recycled aluminium.