Alupro has announced the appointment of Phoebe Kelly as its new programme assistant. Joining the business following the completion of her Masters degree at the University of Birmingham, Phoebe brings experience in content creation, marketing and events management.

In her new role, Phoebe will work closely with the Every Can Counts team, Alupro’s communications programme, on its mission to inspire, encourage and empower people to recycle their drink cans wherever they are. She will also be responsible for wider digital content creation, social media management and stakeholder engagement activities.

Phoebe is Alupro’s second appointment of 2022 and further reflects the organisation’s continued growth. In April, Martin Hyde joined the business as sustainability and public affairs manager, while Tom Giddings was promoted to the role of executive director.

Commenting on her appointment, Phoebe said: “With a passion for sustainability, I’m looking forward to joining the Alupro team, embracing new challenges, inspiring positive recycling behaviours and making a positive impact.

“With a hugely varied role, every day will be different. From content creation and social media management to stakeholder engagement and event support, I’ll be involved in so many different initiatives to drive aluminium recycling rates across the UK and educate householders about the importance of best practice waste management.”

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, added: “At Alupro, our mission is to fulfil the industry’s obligations to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for the aluminium packaging recycling industry. With a passion for recycling and ambitions to make a real difference, we are confident that Phoebe will prove a great addition to our team.

“Her experience in events will be particularly beneficial for our Every Can Counts programme, especially coming up to festival season and the summer holidays – some of our busiest periods!”

To find out about the Every Can Counts programme, visit www.everycancounts.co.uk.

 

ENDS

Alupro has announced the appointment of Martin Hyde as sustainability and public affairs manager. Joining the company from producer compliance scheme Comply Direct Ltd, Hyde has significant experience in sustainability, legislation and environmental policy.

During his six-year tenure at Comply Direct, he was responsible for delivering consultancy on packaging, waste electricals, recycling, batteries, carbon, ESG and net-zero to a diverse member portfolio. An expert in the circular economy, Hyde has an intricate understanding of policy changes such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) and the UK Plastic Tax.

In his new role, Hyde will work closely with executive director Tom Giddings to lead Alupro’s government engagement programme. He will also be responsible for providing technical advice across a breadth of sustainability challenges, alongside consulting with members and partners throughout the aluminium value chain on new recycling initiatives.

Commenting on his appointment, Hyde said: “I’m excited to join the Alupro team at such an important time for the aluminium packaging recycling industry. With responses to the government’s EPR consultation published in March, and feedback on the recent deposit return scheme (DRS) and consistency in household and business recycling collections consultations expected over the coming months, 2022 will be a year of change and progress.

“The circular economy plays a driving role in the packaging materials of tomorrow and, with enviable properties and infinite recyclability, aluminium will be at the forefront. In my new role, I’m looking forward to promoting the role of aluminium in the UK’s transition to a circular economy, as well as providing consultancy to members across the UK.”

Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro, added: “At Alupro, our goal is to fulfil the industry’s obligation to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for aluminium packaging. Working in partnership with local authorities, the waste management industry, and the wider metal packaging sector, we aim to develop and stimulate the UK’s collection infrastructure.

“With extensive experience in packaging sustainability, compliance and legislation, Martin is a welcome addition to the team. His new role will see him represent Alupro and the wider industry at crucial time for aluminium packaging recycling.”

ENDS

Last week (23 March), Alupro unveiled its pioneering Aluminium Manifesto at an exclusive virtual roundtable. With a speech from Ruth Jones MP, Shadow Minister (EFRA), the event brought together leading parliamentary groups to discuss the national transition towards a circular economy.

Developed in-line with the UK’s ambitious targets to protect and enhance the environment for generations to come, the Manifesto calls for fundamental change in our national approach to packaging and waste management, explaining the pivotal role of rejuvenated legislation and innovative and consistent consumer engagement in driving a strong circular economy in the UK.

Alongside explaining why close collaboration between industry actors and the government is needed to deliver a world-class recycling system, the document voices the opinions of the supply chain and explains aluminium’s central role in the sustainable packaging industry of tomorrow. Aiming to help the UK exceed aluminium recycling targets, achieve true resource circularity and harness legislative opportunities, the Manifesto outlines seven key asks:

1. That used aluminium packaging is consistently collected for recycling wherever possible.
2. That ambitious on-the-go recycling infrastructure is put in place to prevent the landfilling or littering of recyclable material.
3. That government and industry must collaborate to educate consumers about best practice aluminium recycling.
4. That a well-designed deposit return scheme (DRS), with variable deposit fee, is implemented to promote the high collection and recycling of beverage containers.
5. That a well-designed extended producer responsibility (EPR) system is implemented that incentivises the use, and value, of infinitely recyclable aluminium.
6. That the government must support the deployment of proven technologies to facilitate the widespread recycling of aluminium packaging.
7. That recyclable products recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) are accounted for in recycling rates.

Tom Giddings, Executive Director of Alupro, commented: “Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and therefore plays a central role in the circular economy of tomorrow. Indeed, nearly 75% of all aluminium ever produced worldwide is still in use today – a remarkable statistic.

“With the UK Government having set a target of eliminating all avoidable plastic waste by 2042, and aiming to work towards use of only recyclable, reusable or compostable plastic packaging by 2025, the industry needs to embrace significant change. As a result, we anticipate more brands switching to sustainable packaging options – like aluminium. Having the systems in place to maximise recycling rates is therefore key to achieving ambitious goals.

“Alupro’s Aluminium Manifesto outlines the views of the aluminium packaging industry and details the changes needed to realise a more sustainable future for our waste. It’s our stake in the ground to tackle challenges, harness opportunities and embrace change to deliver a world-class national recycling system.”

Ruth Jones MP, Shadow Minister (EFRA), concluded: “I welcome Alupro’s manifesto to improve recycling rates across the UK. This is very timely and highlights how aluminium is the perfect material for a circular economy as it is infinitely recyclable.

Tackling waste is a priority for me as Shadow Waste Minister and I call on the Government to pay due regard to the principles of waste hierarchy and a circular economy. In particular, I welcome the manifesto’s focus on the important role of local authorities in the fight to improve recycling rates.

I look forward to working with all stakeholders in the industry to engage on these issues as we seek to protect and preserve our environment.”

 

For more information about our manifesto, or to download a PDF copy, visit alupro.org.uk/manifesto/

ENDS

Alupro, the aluminium packaging recycling organisation, has announced the appointment of Tom Giddings as Executive Director. Previously Interim General Manager, Giddings takes up the role with immediate effect.

As Executive Director, Giddings will be responsible for leading Alupro as it works to fulfil the industry’s obligation to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for aluminium packaging. He will act as the independent voice of the industry on issues of government policy and legislative development and will also spearhead Alupro’s Every Can Counts and MetalMatters consumer education programmes.

Having joined Alupro in June 2020 as Sustainability and Public Affairs Manager, Giddings has firmly positioned himself as a driving force within the sector. Prior to joining Alupro, he held the role of Sustainability Data and Reporting Manager at international packaging provider DS Smith, where he was responsible for the continuous improvement of sustainability initiatives.

Commenting on his new role, Giddings said: “Taking up the position of Executive Director, at such a pivotal time for the industry, is incredibly exciting. The opportunities ahead are significant and I’m looking forward to building on excellent progress to drive even higher aluminium packaging recycling rates in the future.

“Alongside acting as the independent voice of the industry, a key focus of my role will include sharing Alupro’s expertise and working to further stimulate the UK’s collection infrastructure. Inspiring collaboration across value chains and sectors is key to achieving this goal and will prove pivotal in both seizing opportunities and tackling recycling challenges head-on.

“I’m committed to promoting the benefits of aluminium packaging and celebrating its role within a sustainable, circular, low-carbon future. With enviable properties and infinite recyclability, aluminium will remain at the forefront of the packaging industry for years to come.

“But while the future looks bright, the present is just as exciting. Earlier this week, Alupro announced a collaboration with Fun Kids that aims to improve national recycling knowledge. In addition, over the next few weeks, we’re set to launch our educational programmes for 2022. These initiatives are key to ensuring best practice recycling remains front of mind for generations to come – through our creative campaigns, we’re working hard to inspire the recycling influencers of tomorrow.”

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