Recycling rate of aluminium cans reaches 70%

According to figures released by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) as many as seven out of every 10 aluminium drinks cans sold in the UK last year were eventually recycled.

The European metal packaging sector is collectively working towards a goal of having 80% of metal packaging recycled by the year 2025, so these latest reports show positive signs that the target will be reached, perhaps even sooner than the target year.

Aluminium is one of the best examples of recyclable materials on the market. It can be reused time and time again without degrading and its production uses just 5% of the energy needed to create metal out of raw materials. In terms of C02 emissions, recycling aluminium again creates just 5% of the C02 produced by making metal from scratch.

While the latest figures are focused on drinks cans, aluminium is used in a variety of other products which can also be recycled at home after being properly prepared for recycling. Foil trays, for instance, are regularly used in ready meals and can be recycled after being given a quick rinse under a tap. Aerosols such as deodorant and hair sprays can also be recycled provided they are not squashed or pierced – just be careful to remove the plastic cap if it is safe and easy to do so. Other examples of commonly used household aluminium products include bottle tops found on wines, alcohol and cooking ingredients like olive oil as well as wrapping used for cakes, sandwiches and other cooking products. While these rules are best practice for most councils, your council may have different guidelines under which they operate, so it is best to seek advice from your local council website.

We take recycling seriously at LSPS. For more information or to find out how we can help with your waste disposal efforts, please visit our website or call us on freephone 0800 083 7807.

UK on track to meet annual recycling targets

Figures just released by the National Packaging Waste Database have shown signs that the UK is closing in on targets for the recycling of packaging and will likely meet its quota by the end of 2017.

The latest figures published by the National Packaging Waste Database on behalf of the Environment Agency show that the amount of recycling in the UK has already achieved at least two-thirds of required targets with paper achieving 73% of its quota and wood already reaching 94%. However, the picture looks less promising for Glass and Plastics recycling which lag behind at around 52-54% respectively. The report can be viewed in full here: https://npwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/Public/PublicDEFRAReport.aspx.

Despite the positive indications from wood and paper, some industry figures such as Ecosurety have raised concerns about the levels of plastic recycling, noting that the price of plastic continues to rise, spurred on by the Chinese Government’s plans to ban imports of scrap plastics and unsorted paper waste. As of last year china imported 7.3 million tonnes of waste plastics per annum accounting for over half of the world’s imports and valued at around £2.8billion. Early indications show that China’s clampdown on waste plastics may push the flow of materials into other markets such as India, or may even begin to open up wider trading throughout the UK and Europe rather than relying to heavily on China.

We take recycling seriously at LSPS. For more information or to find out how we can help with your waste disposal efforts, please visit our website or call us on freephone 0800 083 7807.