“Our goals towards sustainability are to see more companies embrace infinitely recyclable aluminium as their packaging material of choice”, Tom Giddings, Executive Director, Alupro

Tom Giddings is Executive Director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), the industry-funded, not-for-profit organisation with over 30 years of experience representing the UK’s aluminium packaging industry. Working to fulfil the industry’s objectives to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for aluminium packaging, Alupro has a long history of engaging and encouraging businesses and consumers to recycle their aluminium packaging through engagement campaigns such as Every Can Counts and Metal Matters.

Tom oversees Alupro’s work to achieve these aims, joining the company in 2020 as Sustainability and Public Affairs Manager to support Alupro’s members in highlighting and promoting the sustainability and circular economy credentials of aluminium packaging. Prior to this, Tom held the role of senior sustainability manager at global corrugated container manufacturer DS Smith.

AlCircle: What difference has Alupro made in 30 years of representing the UK aluminium packaging industry?

Tom Giddings: Looking back to the early 1990s, the UK had just outlined new waste disposal guidelines through the Environmental Protection Act. It had committed to tackling our national reliance on landfill in earnest. However, recycling rates sat at just 16%, and the mandated introduction of kerbside collections was still more than a decade away (Household Waste Recycling Act 2003).

We saw a significant opportunity to drive aluminium packaging recycling rates, and that’s what we set out to do. When we started, our priority was simple – to improve awareness of aluminium as a recyclable material and encourage consumers to participate in ‘Cash for Cans’ incentive schemes. Today, we have a far wider remit.

As the independent voice of the aluminium packaging sector, we work to fulfil the industry’s obligation to meet, and exceed, recycling targets for aluminium packaging. We are collaborating with local authorities, the waste management industry and the wider metal packaging sector to develop and stimulate the UK’s collection infrastructure. We also manage and run consumer information and education campaigns to encourage participation in recycling schemes.

Over the past 30 years, we’ve helped inform legislation, changed public thinking, and driven a significant uplift in recycling rates through our pioneering education programmes. In 2022, the UK reported a 68% recycling rate for aluminium packaging, with an 82% recycling rate for aluminium beverage cans. We’re proud of this collective achievement!

AlCircle: Could you share with us the issues of government policies and legislative developments that Alupro has voiced?

Tom Giddings: We are hugely vocal on issues of government policy and legislative development. Working on behalf of our members, we deliver a unified voice to drive positive change and maximise recycling rates. One of Alupro’s most important tasks is to monitor the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) market in the UK for aluminium packaging, ensuring it’s working to deliver higher recycling rates at a reasonable cost whilst lobbying for improvements. While we’ve been involved in countless consultations and have put forward evidence for numerous bills, 2023 is set to be one of the most exciting years for policy change in our 30-year history.

Indeed, alongside decisions around DRS and reforms to EPR, we expect to see the government’s response to the Consistency in Collections consultation. Collectively, these three legislative changes will have a huge future impact on the industry.

AlCircle: What are the key facts of the UK’s aluminium packaging recycling rates?

Tom Giddings: The UK’s aluminium packaging recycling rate currently sits at 68% (82% recycling rate for beverage cans). An estimated 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in circulation.

According to data published by the Environment Agency, more than 156,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging is now collected for recycling on an annual basis. Materials collected through kerbside, bring and on-the-go systems totalled 112,210 tonnes of this volume, while 27% was recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA).

The latest data, reporting on Q3 2022, revealed that the UK saw 37,815 tonnes of aluminium packaging collected for recycling. Materials collected through kerbside, bring and on-the-go systems totalled 28,003 tonnes, while 9,491 tonnes were recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) and 322 through other routes.

AlCircle: Can recycling take over the primary aluminium production, which is energy-sensitive, in the next 10 years?

Tom Giddings: Aluminium packaging recycling in the UK has come a long way and remains on a clear path to further improvement. With better infrastructure, education and incentives, we could quickly reach the levels seen in some of the world’s highest-performing countries.

In 2021 alone, more than 150,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging were collected for recycling, with just 12% exported for reprocessing and consumption further afield – everything else was reprocessed within the UK and Europe.

Aluminium is also being used at a rate we’ve not seen previously, with growth in many market sectors. Packaging is no different. Whilst this is positive, it also changes the equation when calculating the proportion of aluminium in a product. If there is more demand, there must be more supply of recycled aluminium, and market projections remain positive for aluminium packaging out to 2030.

We must focus on the key metric, recycling rate, rather than recycled content. Recycled content is, of course, more desirable to use from an environmental point of view. Still, there is only a point trying to deliver this with the flow of material coming in to supply the smelters and recyclers, which is why recycling rates matter more for metal.

AlCircle: Why do you think aluminium is the most sustainable metal of all? What are Alupro’s goals towards sustainability?

Tom Giddings: Aluminium is widely regarded for its superior properties and enviable sustainability credentials. Alongside being extremely versatile, it is lightweight and highly durable. Being infinitely recyclable, aluminium is the perfect example of a circular packaging economy – what’s more, by recycling aluminium, you can save over 90% of the energy used in virgin production.

Our goals towards sustainability are to see more companies embrace infinitely recyclable aluminium as their packaging material of choice, as well as help the UK to move ever closer towards a 100% recycling rate for aluminium packaging – through education and legislation.

AlCircle: What areas do the government and the companies need to take a stand to increase the aluminium packaging recycling rate?

Tom Giddings: Simply put, we need to make recycling easy while continuing to educate consumers about the benefits. Unlike other materials, aluminium is infinitely recyclable – the perfect circular economy. As such, we must ensure manufacturers prioritise aluminium as a material of choice and that regulation supports widespread aluminium recycling – not hampers it.

Over the coming months, we’re set to see waste legislation change significantly. Indeed, the government is currently navigating the detail when it comes to the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS). The next few months will prove pivotal in ensuring its suitability. Still, several important decisions – such as the agreement of a variable rate deposit – need to be made to achieve this.

If I had one ask, it would be that the government works collaboratively with the industry to achieve the most effective outcome. Collaboration is key.