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Aluminium Foil Qualifies For Widely Recycled at Recycling Points label

12 April 2011

The success of the Aerofoil programme means over 5m more homes are now able to recycle aluminium products at the kerbside

Aluminium foil packaging can now carry the new 'Widely Recycled at Recycling Points' labelling, industry body Alupro (The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation) has confirmed.

The improvement has been achieved in just 18 months and is the result of the Aerofoil programme, an industry-funded campaign that has worked with local authorities to boost aluminium foil and aerosol kerbside collections and 'bring' recycling banks.

This means 3.5m more households are now able to recycle aerosols and 1.7m more households are able to recycle aluminium trays at the kerbside.

Alupro executive director Rick Hindley said: "The fact that aluminium foil now qualifies for the new 'Widely Recycled at Recycling Points' label while targets are increasing is testament to the hard work of everyone involved in boosting aluminium packaging recycling - from councils to packaging manufacturers."

Currently, 98 percent of local authorities collect drinks cans, 78 percent of households have aerosols and 65 percent aluminium foil packaging. Previously aluminium foil packaging carried a label instructing consumers to 'Check Local Recycling'.

Head of environment at the British Retail Consortium and director of On-Pack Recycling Label Ltd Bob Gordon, added: "The aluminium packaging industry has worked hard to increase access to foil recycling facilities through Alupro's Aerofoil campaign. This has delivered real results - encouraging more local authorities to make it easy for people to recycle more aluminium packaging.

"We're really pleased that aluminium foil qualifies for the new 'Widely Recycled at Recycling Points' label."


NEW TARGETS

The announcement comes on the same day that the On Pack Recycling Label scheme has announced a series of new targets to make it easier for people to recycle packaging.

Rick Hindley commented on the scheme, adding: "The aluminium packaging industry is already working towards the On Pack Recycling Label's new targets. Aluminium is the most valuable material in the household bin so the more we can recycle the better."

Alupro's Aerofoil campaign helps local authorities and their waste collection partners to expand their recycling programmes to include aluminium foil and aerosols by providing advice on all aspects of collecting, handling and finding markets for materials. Alupro has also developed a comprehensive communications resource to enable councils to promote recycling to householders, improving awareness and encouraging participation.


ADDING VALUE

Aluminium packaging is the most valuable material in the household waste stream and so is an easy way for local authorities to add value to the material they collect. And aluminium packaging can be recycled again and again without any loss of quality so it is important that it does not go to landfill.

To qualify for the 'Widely Recycled at Recycling Points' label, 65 percent of local authorities must collect the material with kerbside or 'bring' systems (minimum five collection banks per local authority). This will increase to 70 percent in 2012 and 75 percent in 2013 - targets that the aluminium-packaging sector is confident it can achieve.

For more information on the On Pack Recycling Labelling scheme visit www.alupro.org.uk <http://www.alupro.org.uk/>

 Darrel Moore