The latest recycling data, released by the Environment Agency today, reports the strongest ever quarter for aluminium packaging.

According to the data, just under 30,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging was recycled in quarter 3, and year to date, recycling is up by 6% (81,286 v 76,582 tonnes) when compared to the same period last year.   Most importantly, it is well on course to achieve this year’s target (108,919 tonnes) with likely additional volumes available to be carried forward into 2020.

Rick Hindley, Executive Director, of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) commented:

‘We are optimistic, following a disappointing Q2, that this year’s target will be met and anticipate that there should be more than enough evidence to allow producers to meet their obligations.   As a result, we expect the unjustifiably high Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) price will start to fall to more realistic levels.   Historically, aluminium PRN prices have been below £30 per tonne, yet currently aluminium PRN’s are trading, on the spot market, at around £450 per tonne.’

While aluminium is now in a positive position, we continue to urge the Government to make short-term changes to the PRN system, pending the reform of producer responsibility system, to ensure that PRN prices stabilise at a realistic level and to ensure that monies raised through the system are invested to boost recycling levels as intended.

We are delighted to support Recycle Now’s annual campaign, Recycle Week.  Now in its 17^th year, Recycle Week aims to inspire people to recycle more items from all around the home.

This year’s campaign is a real call to action – ‘Recycle.  Its in our own hands’, a motto that reflects the purpose of our own behaviour change campaigns, Every Can Counts and MetalMatters.

On behalf of our members, Alupro has been promoting the benefits of recycling aluminium packaging for 30 years, and Recycle Week provides an opportunity to shout even louder about how important it is to recycle.

For more information visit recyclenow.com

PRESS RELEASE

Courtesy of Metal Packaging Europe

Brussels, 22 May 2019

Metal Packaging Europe, the association of European producers of rigid metal packaging and their supply chain partners, completed a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of aluminium beverage cans (25, 33 and 50 cl volumes).

Using the latest data available (2016), the study covers the life cycle of aluminium beverage cans produced in Europe, from raw materials extraction to manufacturing, and end-of-life. When compared to 2006 data, the study records significant reductions in CO₂-equivalent emissions. The carbon footprint has been reduced by an impressive 31% on average for the three volumes, confirming the industry’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to decouple production growth from its environmental footprint.

The main factors which have made this progress possible are:

• the continuous improvements taking place in the aluminium production and can manufacturing processes;
• a reduction in can weight; as well as
• an increase in aluminium beverage can recycling rate.

For a 33 cl can, the reduction on Climate Change impact over the 10-year period (2006 – 2016) is 33% and includes the following key figures:

• a 12% reduction in the aluminium ingot supply;
• a 35% reduction in electricity and heat consumption, thanks to improved efficiency of can making process, as well as a 4% reduction in body can weight;
• close to 50% increase in the aluminium beverage can recycling rate across Europe, going from 50% to 73% in 2014.

The 2016 data shows that, in terms of Climate Change impact, the average contribution of the cans manufacturing is 18% over the life cycle. Recyclability of aluminium remains the key factor for further improvements: for every 5% increase of recycled aluminium beverage can, an average of   -6% reduction on Climate Change impact is achievable.

Aluminium beverage cans are a mono-material packaging, which make them easy to collect, sort and recycle. In 2015, the aluminium beverage can recycle rate has further increased to 74%, thanks to well-performing collection and sorting schemes and the active participation of consumers. Aluminium is a permanent material that can be recycled again and again, without losing its material characteristics, and its scrap value is the highest of all packaging materials, making aluminium beverage cans a perfect fit for the Circular Economy.

“It is part of Metal Packaging Europe’s commitment to provide fact-based and unambiguous information on our industry. We are pleased with the significant progress made by our members and are confident that even higher reductions will be achieved thanks to improved recycling rates across Europe,” said Leonie Knox-Peebles, CEO of Metal Packaging Europe.

The following Metal Packaging Europe members submitted data for 2016: Ardagh Group, CROWN Packaging Europe, Ball Packaging. European Aluminium provided the latest data sets for aluminium sheet production. Participating companies cover up to 87% of the relevant European markets.

The study, conducted by RDC Environment and reviewed by Solinnen, is fully compliant with ISO 14040/14044 standards.

For further information about Metal Packaging Europe:

+32 2 897 04 90

info@metalpackagingeurope.org

www.metalpackagingeurope.org

About Metal Packaging Europe:

Metal Packaging Europe gives Europe’s rigid metal packaging industry a unified voice, by bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, and national associations. We proactively position and support the positive attributes and image of metal packaging through joint marketing, environmental and technical initiatives. We represent the industry’s views and voice opinions so that stakeholders understand how metal packaging contributes to the Circular Economy.

About Metal Packaging:

Metal packaging is used throughout the retail, wholesale, commercial and industrial sectors. It comes in many shapes and sizes and can be used to package virtually any product. Some 98bn units are produced every year for the beverage, food, health & beauty, household and industrial markets. Made from permanent materials, metal packaging saves resources and continues to achieve record recycling rates in Europe, with a growing number of countries reaching in excess of 80%.

As we celebrate Global Recycling Day, three UK Councils are launching their MetalMatters campaigns.

As more and more people across the UK shift their focus towards recycling today, Merthyr Tydfil, Powys and Teignbridge District Council in Devon will urge a total of 157,000 households to ‘Make their metals matter’.   Starting today, and for the next 12 weeks, residents will be encouraged to recycle all of their drink cans, food tins, empty aerosols, foil and foil trays in their kerbside recycling bins.

Every household will receive leaflets about MetalMatters and the campaign will be supported through local roadshows, outdoor advertising, social media and even a competition to win family tickets to Devon’s top attractions for lucky residents in Teignbridge!

Following the ‘Closing the Loop: Four steps towards 100% aluminium packaging recycling’ report published last week by Green Alliance¹, these campaigns could not be more timely.

Rick Hindley, executive director of project managers Alupro, said:

‘The Green Alliance report indicated that only 13% of aerosols and foil are currently collected for recycling and considering that on average UK households use 27 aerosols, 182 foil trays and 144 metres of wrapping foil per year, it is a great opportunity to divert this valuable metal away from landfill and back into the recycling loop.   Aerosols and foil are also the two most likely items to cause confusion for householders regarding recycling which is why it is so important to clarify their recyclability and highlight the importance of recycling metal packaging² ’

The three campaigns are being jointly funded by MetalMatters, an industry partnership comprising of the UK’s leading producers, users and recyclers of metal packaging and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Powys County Council and Devon County Council respectively.   MetalMatters is a shining example of how industry and local authority collaboration can provide a much needed communications boost to improve metal capture rates and reduce contamination.

Launched in 2012 the programme has been deployed in 99 local authorities and directly communicated with over 6 million households to date.

ENDS

Pictured: MetalMatters launch with Powys County Council L-R: Nicola Jones, systems and communication manager, Tata Steel; James Thompson, senior waste awareness and enforcement officer, Powys County Council; Kate Cole, programme manager, Alupro.

¹ Green Alliance report, ‘Closing the Loop: Four steps towards 100% aluminium packaging recycling’

² WRAP Recycling Tracker Survey 2018

About MetalMatters

MetalMatters was developed and is funded by the metal packaging manufacturing industry, reprocessors and fillers. The programme works in partnership with local authorities and their waste collection partners to promote metal packaging recycling, and thereby improve capture rates for metal packaging at the kerbside. The MetalMatters programme is supported by WRAP. MetalMatters is being managed on behalf of the funding partners by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

For details of MetalMatters campaigns and case studies visit www.metalmatters.org.uk

MetalMatters funding partners (at 1^st March 2019)