UK lags behind European aluminium can recycling

The European Aluminium Association (EAA) has revealed that aluminium recycling in Western Europe increased by 10% to 61.2% in 2007, the most recent year for which statistics were available.

The UK’s 52% rate represents an 8% increase on 2006 but still lags behind other European countries such as Germany (91%) and the Netherlands (85%).

Alupro, the aluminium packaging recycling body, said the mixture of weight-based local authority targets and insufficient on-the-go facilities was hindering the UK’s performance relative to other countries.

Executive director Rick Hindley told Packaging News 52% was a laudable performance given the current state of recycling in the UK.

“The EAA data proves that the UK system isn’t conducive to achieving such high rates. Given the circumstances, 52% is commendable,” he said.

Hindley said he hoped the government would follow up on its aim to improve recycling as outlined in last week’s packaging strategy. “The real challenge is still to come to put the strategy into operation,” he said.

The Alupro-run Every Can Counts scheme is receiving a lot of interest and should help to improve the UK’s recycling rate. “We’d love to see the UK’s rate up with the highest performing countries,” said Hindley.

Novelis revealed last month it had recycled some 39 billion drinks cans in the last year reducing primary aluminium usage by 530,000 tonnes

Some 32 billion aluminium drinks cans were used in Europe in 2007, an increase of 11% compared to 2006. A Western European uses an average of 40 aluminium cans a year, the EAA said.

ALUMINIUM CAN RECYCLING RATES 2007

All Europe 70% (70% in 2006)

France 40% (48%)
Germany 90% (89%)
Hungary 42% (42%)
Italy 53% (49%)
Ireland 50% (48%)
Poland 67% (65%)
UK 52% (48%)

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