Speaking at the event, she said: “This is a really good example of government and the private sector working together to solve a problem that we all acknowledge.”
Praising the “systematic approach” the campaign was taking, she added: “I am really pleased to be here, and wish 'Every Can Counts' every success.”
The initiative, which was first unveiled in October 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story), is being run by the aluminium sector trade body Alupro, with backing from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), the Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME) and UK Canmakers.
It is targeting the 30,000 tonnes-a-year of aluminium beverage cans and 8,000 tonnes-a-year of steel beverage cans a year that are consumed away from home, which is equivalent to 30% of the eight billion cans sold in the UK annually.
Recruitment drive
The scheme's first recruitment drive began in Birmingham yesterday (February 23), with a 12-week campaign for the West Midlands using direct mail, e-mail-outs and newspaper advertising, in a bid to encourage local firms and organisations to sign up.
Anyone who does sign-up to the campaign receives a starter pack including promotional materials for use in their workplace, and can buy branded bins from the campaign website.
Participants can then either integrate the resources as part of their existing arrangements for waste and recycling (i-level has worked with London-based recycling firm Paper Round), or they can take advantage of the scheme's partnership with three commercial waste management firms.
The partners – waste firm Biffa, paper recycling specialists Severnside Recycling and vending cup recyclers Save-A-Cup – are being joined, in the Birmingham roll-out, by community recycler Brumcan.
Speaking to letsrecycle.com today, Rick Hindley, Alupro's executive director, revealed that 15 organisations had already signed up for a starter pack since yesterday, including Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.
The scheme has also had interest from a major supermarket, which is trialling the bins and promotional materials in the back-of-shop areas in 16 of its stores on the South coast.
Mr Hindley told today's launch event that “the drinks can industry is very aware of the work that needs to be done to meet targets,” and explained that the campaign would focus on “identifying and supporting” recycling champions in each workplace who would be responsible for implementing and promoting the 'Every Can Counts' initiative.
Alupro has said there are no specific tonnage targets for the scheme at the moment, but it has previously outlined plans to roll-out the scheme nationwide within the next three years.
And, Mr Hindley said that, while the initiative could not be expected to deliver high tonnages immediately, as it was rolled out it could have an increasingly large impact on the ability to reach targets, including packaging recycling goals under the PRN system.
Subscribe for free