MetalMatters, the kerbside recycling improvement programme, readies for expansion

Alupro has announced that it is to lead MetalMatters, the metal packaging industry’s kerbside recycling stimulation programme, on behalf of its funding partners.

Originally developed by Beverage Can Makers Europe (BCME) in partnership with Novelis and Tata Steel, and supported by WRAP, the MetalMatters programme achieved impressive results in pilot programmes in two local authorities, improving kerbside capture rates for metal packaging.  The programme was named Communications Campaign of the Year at the recent CIWM Awards for Environmental Excellence.

Alupro will draw on its experience of managing the Aerofoil programme, which helped local authorities expand kerbside services to include aerosols and foil containers.  The focus initially will be on developing campaigns in strategic partnerships with local authorities and/or waste partnerships, and developing the funding base to ensure the programme becomes a showcase for extended Producer Responsibility for partners across the metal packaging industry.

As part of this process Coca Cola Enterprises Ltd (‘CCE’) has become the first packer/filler to partner with the programme, along with the UK’s leading foil container manufacturers i2r Packaging Solutions, Nicholl Food Packaging and Coppice Alupack.

More is Less

In these times of gloomy financial news it was good to see Coca-Cola Enterprises sharing some upbeat news about European growth.

Coca-Cola Enterprises’ second-quarter results showed that it had increased its sales volume in Europe by 6.5% compared to last year, in part driven by a 20% growth of the ‘Coca-Cola Zero’ brand. This just got me thinking though – when the market does start to really pick up again – what does this mean for the environment? How do we decrease the carbon footprint of our packaging in times of growth? (as Coca-Cola has pledged to do.)

Coke Can

In the UK we have a successful infrastructure in place to recycle drink cans – so it is just about making sure that we recover as many as cans as we can. Domestic collection of drink cans is already well established with 94% of Local Authorities offering kerbside collection, by recycling away from home that is more difficult, not least because currently 30% of drinks in cans are consumed outside the home. Programmes like Every Can Counts can help, as they are beginning to tackle recycling in workplaces and universities( www.everycancounts.co.uk).  

We need to get better at recycling – stats like every drink can recycled in Europe uses 20 times less energy than making a new one, should make us think harder about how to crack on the go recycling. Every single can that we collect dramatically lowers our carbon footprint. Data from Beverage Can Makers Europe showed that while the food and beverage can market enjoyed great market growth of 57% between 1980 and 2002 over the same period the use of virgin metal dropped by 40% and the packaging industry’s net carbon dioxide emissions fell by 50%.  This shows that by consistently recycling cans we can have our can and drink it!