Drinks can recycling hits Bournemouth beach

Bournemouth Borough Council has opted to improve the recycling of the 168 tonnes of litter left by around 4.5m people who visit the beach each year.

Every Can Counts spokesman Rick Hindley said using the scheme meant visitors to the beach were also doing their bit for the environment. “The beach is a beautiful place. By making it easy for people to recycle their empty drinks cans, it can stay that way.”

Every Can Counts is managed by Alupro on behalf of European beverage can makers, UK Canmakers, the aluminium and steel manufacturing industries and Wrap.

The scheme was launched in October 2008 with the goal of recovering 30% of the waste cans that are consumed on the go. The initial focus was businesses in the West Midlands. Some 50 firms in the Birmingham area are now signed up to the project.

Alupro marketing and communication manager Diana Caldwell told Packaging News the initial aim for Every Can Counts was to test methods of communication and collection with the view to establishing a workable model. “It’s about selling the scheme to business and the concept to staff and we’re looking to establish ‘recycling champions’ to encourage other colleagues to recycle correctly.”

She added the organisation would not rule out the facilities being adapted in the future to collect other materials. “At the moment, Every Can Counts is focusing on drinks cans. But what we are doing is making the scheme adaptable so it complements existing programmes and works alongside existing collection facilities.”

In July, Asda joined the scheme and began trialling facilities in 49 stores in north-west England. Click here for more on this story.

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