News

The UK has made "significant increases" in the recycling of aluminium drinks cans, which rose by a sixth in 2006, but remains below the European average.

UK consumption of aluminium cans - 105 units per capita in 2006 - was surpassed in Western Europe only by Ireland and Sweden, according to the European Aluminium Association.

In comparison, Italians used 37 units each, the French 14 units and Germans three in the same year.

The UK rate of recycling, however, increased from 41% in 2005 to 48% in 2006, according to statistics from Alupro. The average in Western Europe was 57.7%

UK official recycling figures take into account all aluminium products, and the figures are Alupro's extrapolation from packaging recovery note (PRN) data.

The total UK recycling rate for aluminium packaging in 2006 was 32.5%.

Alupro has previously said that UK is disadvantaged by the government's measurement, which also includes the aluminium component of composite packaging, such as cartons.