The 'Every Can Counts' scheme is being run by the aluminium recycling sector trade body Alupro, with funding from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and can manufacturers, with the assistance of waste management companies including Biffa and Severnside.
It aims to recover the 30% of cans that are consumed away from home where there is often no access to kerbside recycling, and offers special recycling bins, marketing materials and collection services to participants such as businesses, hospitals and universities.
Zero waste to landfill
ASDA is introducing the scheme to its stores as part of its plan to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill from its stores and depots to zero by the end of 2010 and also as part of a larger environmental programme to raise employee awareness and recycling rates.
The scheme is being introduced following employee feedback which raised the question of why no workplace recycling for cans was available, and its introduction is now being publicised to staff via the retailer's internal communications networks.
Jonathan Wylie, waste and recycling Manager at ASDA, commented, “We are happy to be supporting the Every Can Counts scheme at ASDA. We believe it is important that we make it as easy as possible for our colleagues to recycle.
“We look forward to seeing a successful trial in Lancashire and then rolling out the programme to our other stores across the country,” he added.
Backing
The Every Can Counts initiative has already received ministerial backing, with the then-waste and recycling minister Jane Kennedy lending her support to the initiative in February 2009 (see letsrecycle.com story) =.
February 2009 also marked the beginning of the scheme's first targeted roll-out, in the West Midlands, and Alupro has said that it hopes to make the campaign available nationwide during within three years.
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