Boosting can recycling

There is a commonly held belief that the food, drink and packaging industries arent doing enough to tackle the issues associated with recycling packaging. Yet there are some fantastic programmes being run by industry which are helping to educate and encourage people to recycle more. Not only do these programmes help to increase recycling rates, they also provide an opportunity for industry to show people that they really do recognise their responsibilities and take the sustainability of packaging very seriously.

The Can Makers is a trade body made up of drinks can manufacturers and their raw materials suppliers. Beyond lightweighting the can and ensuring it is cost and resource efficient to manufacture and transport through the supply chain, the industry has come together to create and fund a range of programmes focused on recycling.

From working with students to create national sustainability messages and recommendations to improving on the go youth recycling rates, both in (MetalMatters) and out (Every Can Counts) of the home, these programmes have repeatedly received national recognition. Indeed, both MetalMatters and Every Can Counts have even been highlighted by Government as examples of best practice for other packaging industries to follow.

Education

Organisations within the metals industry, Tata Steel and Alupro, are also helping to educate schoolchildren with a wealth of resources. As the beverage can is 100% and infinitely recyclable with no loss of quality, it makes sense to help consumers recycle as much as possible and understand why it is so important. For example, using recycled material to make a new can saves up to 95% of the energy needed to make one from virgin materials. Whilst saving valuable resources, recycling also diverts a useful product away from landfill and back into the recycling loop .

A recent example has been working with Weymouth and Portland Borough council where Every Can Counts can crushers were placed in high footfall areas across Weymouth during the Olympics. This allowed visitors to the events to recycle the drinks cans they consumed while on the go. The bins were both highly visible and effective.

Co-funding

Several major drinks brands and organisations across the packaging industry are now also actively involved with and co-funding recycling programmes and helping to spread the sustainability messages even further, thus uniting the complete chain from drinks can manufacture to the retail shelf. It is a blueprint which is helping to dispel a commonly held recycling misconception and drive up metal recycling rates for the nation. Win: Win.