Did you know.….from your black bin bag waste, valuable metals can be recovered that you were not able to recycle in the first instance?  As a keen recycler, I thought this was certainly worth exploring.

Scanmetals UK Ltd, based in Willenhall, invited me to tour their recycling and recovery plant, in order to see the process of recovering aluminium and other non-ferrous metals from incineration plants, for the purpose of recycling.

For the uninitiated, the general waste materials are collected at the household kerbside by your local council and taken to an energy from waste plant (EFW). Here the material is passed through the incinerator and the residue left behind is known as incinerator bottom ash (IBA). The majority of this IBA is known as aggregate, and it usually contains an amount of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The IBA is delivered to an aggregate company where it is cleaned and treated and then the aggregate material is sold to companies like Scanmetals who specialise in the recovery of the non-ferrous metals for recycling.

Before my visit, I was advised not to wear my ‘best clothes’; arriving at Scanmetals, unlike other processing facilities I have visited, there was no distinctive smell, but it is extremely dusty in the arrival bay area.

My guide, the lovely Joao, showed me where the aggregate material is delivered from the suppliers and where it is deposited in the large bay area. Joao explained that each suppliers’ material is kept in separate bays in order to report back to each EFW plant the exact amount of non-ferrous material recovered.

The aggregate material looks like a mass of dusty grey stones of all shapes, but on closer inspection (if you don’t mind the dust), you can easily identify items such as aluminium can lids, toothpaste tubes and aerosols.

Joao explained the aggregate material is loaded onto a hopper and is passed in a drier machine (that looks like a big drum) which removes the dirt and moisture and is then passed into a second drier for further cleaning.

We then walked through into a second warehouse, where the cleaned aggregate material is transported on a sort of enclosed conveyor. In here, there were huge pieces of equipment where the different sizes of metal are treated and separated using the latest sorting technology.

I was shown the different types of metal that the Scanmetals technology can recover, such as aluminium, copper, brass, zinc, stainless steel and a surprisingly large amount of coins.

It is an incredible and unique process that we should be shouting about – when it comes to metals, nothing goes to waste. Inspired by what I saw and working with Scanmetals, we’ve produced a video to show their process of recovering aluminium from non-ferrous aggregate materials.

Click on the film below to view this unique process.

 

Alupro, the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, has appointed cleantech and environmental communications consultancy Prova to manage its external public relations activities. The agreement will see Prova deliver a powerful campaign to champion the benefits of aluminium packaging.

Alupro is an industry-funded, not-for-profit organisation with more than 30 years’ experience representing the UK’s aluminium packaging industry. The organisation works hard to fulfil the industry’s obligation to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for aluminium packaging. Members include Novelis, Hydro Aluminium, Crown Holdings, Red Bull UK, Nespresso and Ardagh Group.

Partnering with Prova will help Alupro to maintain its position as the sought-after authority of the sector, position aluminium positively in the national packaging debate and build strong links with the metal packaging sector to stimulate the UK’s collection infrastructure.

Bev Burnham, head of marketing & communications at Alupro, commented: “Aluminium is a true packaging champion. It has an intrinsically high value, can be recycled indefinitely and contributes to a perfectly circular economy.

“With climate change and sustainability continuing to hit the headlines across mainstream media, we wanted to champion the numerous benefits of aluminium packaging and celebrate its circularity. Partnering with Prova will help us to increase our voice and influence behavioural change – a key priority in the midst of government consultations regarding packaging and collections.”

Richard Postins, managing director at Prova, added: “Alupro is respected nationwide for its extensive work across the aluminium packaging loop. Over the coming months, we’re looking forward to working in close partnership with the team to lead the legislative debate, celebrate the circularity of aluminium packaging and build strong relationships across the sector.”

 

To find out about Prova, or its circular economy experience, visit www.provapr.co.uk.

 

 

Rick Hindley, executive director of Alupro (Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation) said:

 

“Alupro welcomes today’s report by the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee which identifies the need for a variable deposit as part of the deposit return scheme for drinks containers. We have worked hard to ensure the voice of the aluminium packaging industry is heard, with our main concern being the plan to attach a flat rate deposit of 20p to all containers, of any size.

 

“Our consumer research showed that a £4.80 deposit on a 24-can multipack was very likely to drive people away from infinitely recyclable cans and towards larger, plastic bottles, where the same amount of liquid could be purchased with just an 80p deposit. This would result in the purchase of millions more plastic bottles – an unintended consequence we’ve been highlighting through our #MakeDRSWork campaign.

 

“It is also reassuring that the Committee has identified the need to review the baseline data on recycling, an issue we highlighted in our evidence.  I’m delighted that as well as the plastics issue, MSPs have also considered the potential health impacts of a flat rate deposit. I hope this very encouraging report translates into a final scheme that achieves its environmental ambitions and is fair for all.”

 

Ends

• Aluminium packaging recycling body urges caution to avoid unintended consequences of a DRS
• Two thirds of shoppers will switch from buying infinitely recyclable cans to plastic bottles
• One in five people will lose their deposit as they continue recycling at home

 

An ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme for drinks containers could result in an extra 823 million plastic bottles being produced[1], inadvertently adding to plastic pollution – one of the key issues the scheme is trying to solve.

 

As part of research released today by Alupro, the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, 2,000 UK adults[2] were asked to imagine there was a 20p deposit on every can or bottle of any size, as proposed in Scotland. This would mean consumers face paying an upfront deposit of £4.80 on top of the purchase price of a 24-can multipack[3] compared with a deposit of 80p for four large plastic bottles containing the same amount of liquid. When faced with this choice, two thirds of those currently buying cans in multipacks would be likely to switch to the plastic bottles. Even if the deposit was 10p, half (51%) said they would still be likely to choose the plastic bottles over the multipack of cans.

 

The government has recently signalled that it favours an ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme. This follows plans in Scotland to implement a deposit return scheme in 2021, where plastic, glass or metal drinks containers[4] of any size will have the same deposit attached, likely to be 20p. Alupro, whose aim is to maximise the amount of aluminium packaging being recycled in the UK, is warning that attaching the same deposit fee to all sizes of container will lead consumers to opt for larger plastic bottles, having consequences for the environment and encouraging the purchase of larger portion sizes.

 

Consumers will, of course, be able to recoup any deposit they pay by taking their empty containers to a designated collection point – most likely a supermarket or local shop – but the survey revealed that one in five people (19%) would still end up using their recycling bin at home, which would leave them perpetually out of pocket. Alupro is also concerned that some of those who can least afford to lose a deposit will be those most likely to struggle with returning their drinks containers – 22% of those surveyed said it would be difficult to regularly take their cans and bottles to a collection point.

 

Executive Director of Alupro, Rick Hindley, said: “We are very concerned that if the same deposit fee is applied regardless of container size, it will have a significant impact on multipacks of aluminium cans. The majority of consumers buy multipacks, and these will become twice as expensive as the equivalent volume in plastic if a deposit return scheme is introduced with the same deposit fee. This would be a significant upfront cost for household budgets and, as our survey has confirmed, it will influence purchasing habits.

 

“However, a variable deposit fee based on the size of the container avoids changing current consumer purchasing habits.  Consumers are sophisticated enough to understand a variable deposit fee as is the norm in Scandinavian countries where deposit return schemes are well established. We urge the Scottish Government and UK Government  to consider the impact of other schemes; the German drink can market is only just starting to recover following the introduction of a poorly designed deposit scheme in 2003 that all but wiped out can sales, which plummeted by 96% almost overnight[5].  Our survey found 83% of people are concerned that a deposit return scheme could increase the consumption of plastic.  We must avoid this scenario playing out in the UK.”

 

Maurice Golden MSP, Shadow Climate Change, Environment, Land Reform Secretary, commented: “We want to see an ambitious and inclusive system that works well across the whole of the UK. It is concerning that a flat deposit fee could lead to a dramatic increase in the amount of plastic being purchased and a decline in the use of aluminium. We must ensure that the deposit return scheme is well designed and does not discriminate against one material over another.”

Did you know? Aluminium facts:

·        75% of the aluminium ever produced is still in use today: 79% of those surveyed didn’t know this.

·        75% of the plastic ever produced is now in our oceans: 66% didn’t know this.

·        Aluminium can be recycled again and again without ever losing quality: 71% didn’t know this.

·        Aluminium is the most valuable recyclable material and generates a lot of money for councils: 73% didn’t know this.

·        We have capacity in the UK to recycle all the aluminium sold: 77% didn’t know this.

·        Plastic degrades every time it is recycled: 82% didn’t know this.

Ends

For an interview with Rick Hindley, Executive Director of Alupro or visuals to support the story contact Barley Communications:

Caroline Narboni: caroline.narboni@barleycommunications.co.uk / 07803 049768

Maria Kortbech: maria.kortbech@barleycommunications.co.uk / 07952 507270

Sam Williams: sam.williams@barleycommunications.co.uk / 07949 607029

 

Notes to editors

 

[1] Calculation: 9.7 billion cans sold annually (Can Makers). Of which, 7.566 billion sold in multi-packs (78%).

4.986 billion cans lost as a result of 65.9% of multi-pack consumers switching to 2 litre PET (1.645 billion litres of drink). This equates to 823 million extra plastic bottles

[2] Survey of 2,016 UK adults, conducted 5-8 July 2019 (Censuswide)

[3] Multipacks dominate can sales in the UK, accounting for 78% of all can sales (Nielsen, 2017)

[4] Excluding milk bottles

[5] A.C. Nielsen/The Nielsen company, Frankfurt a.M., 2004: Can sales dropped from 6.1 billion cans to 250 million following the introduction of the German DRS in 2003.