re3, the waste partnership covering Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils, has joined forces with Alupro to roll-out a creative campaign encouraging residents to recycle their aluminium foil.

Aluminium is endlessly recyclable, and recycling it saves 95% of the energy used to make aluminium from raw materials. To recycle, simply scrunch your wrapping foil, foil lids or chocolate foil into a ball the size of a fist and pop into your recycling bin.

Foil trays should be wiped or rinsed to remove food residue, there’s no need to run the tap, just a quick swill in the bowl at the end of the washing up is usually sufficient.

Launching today, the “Fantastic Foil” initiative will target households through a paid social media campaign and promotional signage at the re3 Recycling Centres. In addition, pupils from across the three boroughs will be invited to take part in a competition to create a spring-themed sculpture from clean, used aluminium foil.

Entries for the competition will close after the Easter holiday on 19^th April, with three winners each taking home a £20 voucher. Their school will also receive £100 in vouchers to spend on books, supplies and activities.

In a joint statement re3 Joint Waste Disposal Board Members: Cllr Karen Rowland, Chairman of the Joint Waste Disposal Board and Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety; Cllr Ian Shenton, Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Leisure and Cllr Helen Purnell, Bracknell Forest Council’s Executive Member for the Environment and Community Cohesion, commented: “We’re on a mission to help residents waste less and recycle more. Rolling out this campaign will enable us to improve awareness and education about the importance of best practice foil (and other aluminium packaging) recycling, with the aim of further improving consumer engagement and increasing capture rates in result. A key part of the campaign is working closely with our local schools to educate and inspire the next generation. We’re looking forward to seeing their creativity shine.”

Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro, added: “We’re delighted to working with re3 to raise awareness of the importance of recycling aluminium packaging. Since launching in 2017, our foil campaign has reached more than 2.5 million households, with data suggesting that it really helps to drive a positive uplift in kerbside recycling rates. We’re looking forward to seeing the widespread impact of the campaign, as well as helping to judge creative entries from hundreds of budding sculptors across Berkshire!”

To find out more about re3, visit www.re3.org.uk

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About the competition:

More information about the competition, including T&Cs  can be found on the dedicated page on re3 website:

https://re3.fccenvironment.co.uk/fantastic-foil-recycling/

About re3 (www.re3.org.uk)

re3 is a waste management partnership between Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils and FCC Environment. The partnership’s aims are to develop solutions for the management of waste in Central Berkshire and to encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle more of their waste.