‘Foil in Love’ with Alupro and Leeds City Council’s new aluminium recycling campaign

A newly launched recycling campaign by the Leeds City Council titled 'Foil in Love' encouraged homeowners to recycle their clean aluminium packaging, which includes everything from wrapping foil and trays to aerosols, aluminium beverage cans, and empty food tins. Around 14,000 people in Roundhay and Moortown were inspired to participate in the campaign.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council's executive member for Climate, Energy, Environment and Green Space, stated, "We're always looking for ways to encourage our residents to recycle as much of their used packaging as possible. The good news is that more than 128 tonnes of aluminium was recycled across Leeds and the surrounding areas in 2022. However, analysis shows that Leeds residents also placed 1,292 tonnes in general waste bins, when they simply could have put it in their green recycling bin."

The campaign, which runs in collaboration with the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), intends to contact homes via social media outreach, a leaflet drop, and especially liveried garbage trucks running important collection routes. The Council's primary motivation is environmental friendliness. Thus, they want to ensure people know to put foil packaging in their green recycling bins.

"Working in partnership with Alupro to deliver the 'Foil in Love' campaign will provide another way to encourage residents to think carefully about disposing of aluminium packaging in the right bin and promote the benefits of recycling things like foil trays, pie tins and drinks cans," added Mohammed Rafique.

Monday, June 19, marked the beginning of a four-week "Foil in Love" with a recycling campaign in the neighbourhoods of Roundhay and Moortown. Exciting competition prizes are being offered to encourage people to follow the Leeds Recycles pages on Facebook and Twitter. Since 2017, this is Alupro's 20th campaign via its foil recycling initiative.

“Educating the public about best practice recycling is a key goal for Alupro, for the supply chain and for local authorities too. Our consumer engagement campaigns promote a positive message in a creative way – we’re not forcing people to recycle, we’re inspiring behavioural change. With our ‘Foil in Love’ campaign, we’re spreading two important messages. Firstly, it’s easy to recycle your used aluminium packaging – simply rinse off any chunky bits of food, then place in the correct bin! Secondly, aluminium is infinitely recyclable, meaning you can melt it down and reform it to create new products time and time again,” added Tom Giddings, Alupro’s executive director.