Alupro’s updated aluminium manifesto sets ambitious goals for UK recycling

Alupro recently unveiled an updated iteration of its groundbreaking Aluminium Manifesto on April 30th. First introduced in 2022, this manifesto serves as a comprehensive blueprint representing the perspectives of the aluminium packaging industry. It delineates essential reforms to establish a top-tier recycling infrastructure for the UK.

In its latest version, the 2024 update not only applauds the strides already taken, such as discussions on the Simpler Recycling policy and the proposition of a binary labelling system, but also points out areas necessitating further advancement. These include clarifying misunderstandings surrounding Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and advocating for tailored support for innovation within specific sectors. The updated manifesto presents seven crucial requests urging modifications to current infrastructure, coherent communication strategies, and the development of well-crafted legislation.

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, commented, “Aluminium packaging plays a vital role in achieving a circular economy. Our updated manifesto not only serves as a progress report, but also as a renewed call to action for the entire aluminium packaging supply chain. Our industry is incredibly proud of the improvement in recycling rates we’ve achieved over the last 10 years, with over 80% of beverage cans and nearly 70% of all aluminium packaging being recycled in recent years. More remarkable still, this has been driven on a voluntary basis by Alupro members, but we’re reaching the limit of what’s possible without significant regulatory support.

Our manifesto outlines seven key requests needed to deliver a world-class recycling system for the UK and, while we’re encouraged by the small steps made in the past two years, there’s still work to be done. We hope that it will serve as a roadmap to achieve a 100% recycling rate for aluminium packaging, foster collaboration and maximise the contribution of aluminium packaging to a circular economy in the UK.”

Alupro’s updated aluminium Manifesto

1. Our 2022 Manifesto ask

To ensure that all recyclable aluminium packaging is collected for recycling, it's crucial to maintain consistency in local authority kerbside collections.

Status January 2024

It's encouraging that the Simpler Recycling policy encompasses all aluminium packaging items. Yet, it's vital to enhance the quality of collected materials. However, the effectiveness of a co-mingled collection system in reducing contamination and improving quality remains unclear.

2. Our 2022 Manifesto ask

Local authorities and stakeholders need to establish ambitious on-the-go recycling infrastructure and collection systems. These should significantly boost the collection of recyclable materials when they're consumed away from home.

Status January 2024

The current policy proposals lack support for on-the-go collection and recycling services. Governments should offer incentives to encourage collaboration between local authorities, responsible parties, and partners in developing public communication and behavior change campaigns. These efforts aim to enhance recycling rates and minimize litter.

3. Our 2022 Manifesto ask

Authorities and responsible parties should partner with the industry to implement consistent communication campaigns. These campaigns should feature clear on-pack labeling to emphasize the recyclability of all aluminium products.

Status January 2024

We welcome the development of a binary labelling system that will mandate the communication of either “recycle” or “do not recycle” to consumers. This will help considerably in reducing consumer confusion around recyclability which is currently a substantial barrier to consumer behaviour  change. It is positive to see support for consistent communications across local authorities. We are eager to see updated proposals for how the EPR Scheme Administrator will work with material organisations and consumer communications experts, such as MetalMatters and Every Can Counts, to leverage existing successful models on a national scale.