Aluminium on course to hit Targets

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The aluminium packaging sector is on course to reach its 2012 recycling targets, but the PRN system is entering uncharted territory, according to Rick Hindley, chief executive of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

Addressing an audience from across the metals and recycling industry at the organisation’s annual seminar in Birmingham, Mr Hindley predicted that in2012 the aluminium sector would reach its target.; “Recently released data for Q3 shows that there is underlying growth of around 2 per cent overall compared to last year, with the 100% packaging category up by around five per cent.”

However Mr Hindley said that there is a real possibility that for the first time ever a packaging material may miss its recycling target and that the effect on the system could be significant.

Welcoming the Government’s new packaging targets set to 2017 he said they create ambitious objectives, which complement Alupro’s own, and he believes there is no doubt that they will move recycling forward.

He added that in order to achieve the new targets, Alupro members and their partners will be focussing efforts on increasing the kerbside collection of aluminium, and other metal packaging, as well as working to ensure that aluminium packaging recovered from residual waste through energy from waste plants (EFW) and other treatment technologies counts towards the officially reported recycling performance.

“We estimate that to reach the new targets a further 19,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging will need to be recovered. Our business plan shows that the majority of this material will have to come from improving capture rates from kerbside collections and by officially recognising the aluminium that is recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA). . To achieve this we are working on establishing a new protocol to formally account for the aluminium packaging that is already being recovered, and will continue to be recovered, as new waste treatment plants come on stream. It is essential that we are able to officially account material towards the targets, as they do in every other country in Europe.” said Mr Hindley.

He went on to outline Alupro’s long-term vision for aluminium packaging recycling saying: “As an industry we have a shared vision to go beyond the 2017 targets and achieve a total recycling rate of 70% of aluminium packaging by 2020.

“Achieving our ambition will require us to develop strategic partnerships across the metal packaging sector, and with local authorities and waste management companies to boost performance of existing collection systems to ensure that over 80% of aluminium beverage cans in circulation are collected for recycling.”

He added: “For over 20 years this industry has led the year on year increases in aluminium’s recycling performance. Campaigns such as Every Can Counts and MetalMatters are testament to our on-going commitment.”

He concluded: “By developing strategic partnerships especially with local authorities and waste management companies, we are confident that we can achieve our goals.”

MetalMatters launches most ambitious programme to date

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MetalMatters, the metal packaging industry-led programme designed to increase the capture rate for metal packaging collected at the kerbside, has launched its most ambitious campaign to date, in partnership with Kent Waste Partnership.

The latest campaign sees the marketing communications campaign roll out across 12 local authorities in Kent.  It will run until early December and will include two direct mail drops to each of the 630,000 households in the county.

Since its pilot in 2010 MetalMatters has been closely followed by policy makers, and featured in the Government’s Review of Waste Policy in 2011 as an example of Best Practice.  Now recently-appointed Minister for Resources, Local Environment and Environmental Science Lord de Mauley has also given the programme his support.

Commenting on the launch Lord de Mauley said: “MetalMatters is a great example of how industry and local authorities can work together to engage local communities, drive up recycling rates and also support further development of our waste management and recycling sectors.  The programme in Kent is on a very ambitious scale and we will follow this campaign with interest to see what it achieves.”

The Kent campaign includes leaflets, which will be sent to every home in all 12 districts, supported by locally-targeted advertising and awareness-raising events. Recycling vehicles and buses will carry the ‘make your metals matter’ message.  The eight week campaign, which is managed by Alupro, is being jointly funded by an industry partnership comprising the UK’s leading producers, users and recyclers of metal packaging and Kent Waste Partnership.

Cllr Paul Barrington-King, Chairman of Kent Waste Partnership (KWP) said: “The partnership between the KWP and MetalMatters demonstrates the clear desire for Kent’s councils to work strategically and practically on improving the capture of valuable recyclates.  The support of the Minister for the programme validates our supply chain approach is very much the way to go. It continues to place the KWP at the vanguard of supply chain thinking and activities”

Rick Hindley, Executive Director of Alupro added: “2012 has been an exciting year for MetalMatters, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to run the programme on such a grand scale in Kent. We are looking forward to seeing how the campaign develops and the impact it has on household metal packaging and attitudes to recycling.”

There have been five MetalMatters campaigns during 2012 covering 27 local authorities and reaching 1.5 million households.

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Picture shows (l-r) Paul Vanston of Kent Waste Partnership, Ruth Meeke of Alupro and Norman Lett of Beverage Can Makers Europe

Unilever Backs MetalMatters

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Unilever UK has been announced as the latest partner of the MetalMatters programme. The company behind many well-known food, home and personal care brands has pledged its support for the programme and is the second consumer goods giant to back the innovative recycling programme.

Developed by the metal packaging industry, MetalMatters is designed to increase the capture rate for metal packaging collected for recycling by households. It is jointly funded by a partnership comprising the UK’s leading producers, users and recyclers of metal packaging.

Unilever, which runs Europe’s largest aerosol factory, has pledged an initial commitment for two years. Its support builds on a previous successful partnership with the Aerofoil programme, which has helped over 100 local authorities, covering 5.8 million households, expand their collection systems to include aluminium foil, and/or aerosols. The MetalMatters partnership is already working with a number of local authorities across the UK, with the recent campaign rolled out in Portsmouth being the first to benefit from Unilever funding.

Louis Lindenberg, global packaging sustainability director at Unilever, said: “One of our packaging goals set out in our Sustainable Living Plan is to work with partners in NGOs, government and industry to increase recycling by 5% by 2015 and 15% by 2020. This partnership takes us one step closer towards reaching this goal and demonstrates our continued efforts to help consumers reduce waste.

“As a consumer business it is imperative to take the lead and support initiatives that aim to shift consumer attitudes and help increase the amount of materials recovered for recycling. We have been impressed by the early successes delivered by the

MetalMatters programme, and realise that continued success depends on the involvement of brand-users of metal packaging. We look forward to making a positive contribution to MetalMatters’ continued success.”

Alupro executive director Rick Hindley, added: “Unilever’s backing for MetalMatters demonstrates that the programme is being seen as a best practice model within the industry, and is offering its partners an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to driving up recycling performance. The scale and potential of any programme is, of course, dependent on funding from key stakeholders; we welcome Unilever’s support and look forward to seeing MetalMatters continue to help householders recycle more at home.”

MetalMatters is managed on behalf of its funding partners by Alupro. So far this year the programme has developed campaigns with 15 local authorities and waste partnerships in the UK.