‘Away from home’ can recycling scheme launched

The 'Every Can Counts' initiative is being run by the trade organisation for the aluminium recycling sector – Alupro – with backing from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME) and UK Canmakers.

By working in partnership with waste firm Biffa, paper recycling specialist Severnside Recycling and vending cup recyclers Save-A-Cup, the scheme will offer special recycling bins and a collection service for used beverage cans to both businesses and colleges and universities.

It aims to target the 30,000 tonnes of aluminium and 8,000 tonnes of steel from cans that are consumed outside the home, and as a result are not collected through kerbside schemes – equal to 30% of the eight billion cans sold in the UK every year.

The collection service will be offered by the partner waste management companies to their existing customers, as well as to firms and universities that sign up as part of Alupro's recruitment drive.

And, it is being complimented by a range of communication materials, included branded promotional materials, such as posters and website banners, featuring the 'Every Can Counts' logo and other recycling resources, as well as material specifically targeted at university and college students.

Alupro is hoping to roll out the scheme across the country within the next three years, and the organisation's executive director, Rick Hindley, said: “Government policy and social attitudes are both working to create a need for businesses to become more sustainable.

“Recycling helps them to manage waste effectively and meet pre-treatment legislation; added to this their employees and their customers want to know that they are committed to acting sustainably.”

“We believe that Every Can Counts can help to address all of these issues and contribute to a lasting behaviour change, by providing a collection infrastructure reinforced by an informative and exciting communications programme,” he added.

Champions 

Businesses and universities participating in the scheme are advised to nominate one or more 'recycling champions', who will run the scheme, and – using information provided by the initiative – be able to update their workmates about their recycling performance, and the business and environmental benefits it has provided.

And, the scheme, and its promotional materials, is compatible with existing workplace recycling programmes for a range of materials as well as those set up specifically as part of the 'Every Can Counts' drive.

Alupro's plans to target cans away from home were originally revealed in May 2008 amid fears that the UK's packaging recycling target for aluminium would be missed (see letsrecycle.com story), but the scheme's official launch will take place this Wednesday and Thursday at the Total Workplace Management exhibition in London.