KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Alcoa yesterday announced that it had broken ground on a project here that will significantly boost its ability to recycle aluminum cans from around the country.

The $22 million project at its Can Reclamation facility in Knoxville will bring an estimated 50 percent improvement to recycling capacity. In 2007, Alcoa estimates it will have recycled 14 billion aluminum cans; by the time the expansion is completed in early- to mid-2009, that number could grow to 21 billion or more cans.

Improvements to the facility from this project include a new can crusher, a new can delacquering furnace, building enclosures and environmental systems. In addition, the project will allow the company to expand its operations at this facility to process other types of aluminum scrap in addition to cans.

Also yesterday, Alcoa unveiled a new, fuel-efficient train for its Tennessee operations, which is used to transport aluminum ingot from the recycling facility to processing plants. The new train features an 85 percent reduction in air pollutants, uses 35 percent less fuel than previous trains, and at the same time has 25 percent more horsepower.