Alupro, the aluminium packaging recycling organisation, has launched a digital engagement campaign to encourage consumers to recycle their empty aerosol cans. Running between 18 January and mid-March, ‘the lonely aerosol’ will see social media users targeted with a series of creative digital animations.

Sharing best practice recycling advice, each animated character has been specifically created to represent the diversity of aerosol containers found within the home. From ‘Pump up the Volume’ a glamorous hairspray can to ‘Any Old Oil’ a wise old oil can in the garage, the fun personalities will educate viewers about the critical importance of aerosol recycling.

The online campaign is part of a wider cross-industry programme, spearheaded by Alupro and run in partnership with members Ball Aerocan and the British Aerosol Manufacturers association (BAMA), which seeks to establish a proper baseline for aerosol recycling rates and address the issue of aerosol recycling in a post-DRS collection system. Although 95% of UK councils offer a kerbside aerosol recycling collection, it is estimated that only 46% of aerosols are correctly separated for recycling by consumers, so it’s evident that greater awareness is needed.

Tom Giddings, general manager of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), commented: “With the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) set to be introduced across England in 2024, estimates suggest that more than 70% of drinks cans will be removed from kerbside recycling stream almost overnight. This makes it imperative to improve recycling rates for other forms of aluminium packaging – including aerosol containers.

“However, when considered on their own, aerosols consistently top WRAP’s annual list of confusing consumer packaging types. Furthermore, our own research has found that householders are more likely to landfill aerosol containers than separate them for recycling – a hugely disappointing statistic.

“Our digital engagement campaign, ‘the lonely aerosol’, aims to convey an important message. As a society, we need to improve packaging recycling rates and, as an industry, we need to be aware that changes to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation will require evidence of good recycling performance.

“We’re confident that our digital engagement campaign will prove hugely valuable in increasing national awareness of the need to recycle aerosol containers and sharing best practice of how best to do so.”

For more information about Alupro, or ‘the lonely aerosol’ campaign, visit recyclealuminium.org.uk. To find out how you can get involved in the cross-industry programme, contact info@alupro.org.uk

ENDS