Scotland launches six-month can recycling trial

Zero Waste Scotland and Every Can Counts are funding a new six-month trial, which is taking five places and is part of Zero Waste Scotland’s work to ensure valuable materials can be recycled. From 1st January 2014, businesses in Scotland will be required to separate all of their waste – including metals – for recycling. Every Can Counts has been working with businesses to help them work towards compliance, and now and the programme has joined forces with Zero Waste Scotland to trial the initiative to help make it easier for people to recycle their drinks cans 'on the go'.

New can crushers are designed to crush and hold up to 700 aluminium and steel drinks cans at a time – five times more than a conventional recycling container. Operated by people-power rather than electricity, the compact and user-friendly design of the crushers encourages consumers to take a more hands-on approach to recycling.

Andrew McFarlan of Every Can Counts said: “Our new initiative marks an exciting new phase in the Every Can Counts programme, which launched 12 months ago. Already we have 250 businesses using the programme to encourage staff and customers to recycle and now we have the opportunity to encourage people to recycle when they are out and about." And he added: “We all know that recycling drinks cans makes sense – it cuts down waste, saves energy and natural resources. By recycling more, shoppers, commuters and staff around Scotland can significantly reduce their impact on the environment and the country can take a major step towards achieving its Zero Waste ambitions.”

Martin McAtee, Facilities Manager from Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, said: “We’re always looking to get involved in new and exciting environmental and recycling initiatives that will not only benefit us as a centre but will also aid the community. The new Ecopacteurs are a great interactive way for our shoppers and staff to make a valuable contribution to meeting Scotland’s zero waste targets. The centre has certain sustainability targets and being at the forefront of such a campaign is very important to us.”

Every Can Counts offers free help and advice with all aspects of setting up and promoting a recycling scheme, either as part of an existing programme or as a stand-alone scheme. Over 250 sites around Scotland have already benefited from the free materials offered by Every Can Counts. More than half of these sites signed up to the programme through their existing recycling service provider. Additional funding for the programme in Scotland comes from Zero Waste Scotland and soft drinks manufacturers, A.G. Barr plc.