UK is on track to meet or exceed annual packaging recycling targets: Rick Hindley, Executive Director, Alupro

Rick Hindley, Executive Director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) in an interview to Resource magazine says, figures published on the National Packaging Waste Database by the Environment Agency show the that UK is on track to meet or exceed annual recycling targets for aluminium packaging.

In 2015, over 75,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging was collected for recycling in the UK. Over 60 per cent of that was recycled in the UK and the rest was exported.  With the commissioning of new recycling facilities around Europe, demand for aluminium packaging scrap is growing fast and strong. Hydro Aluminium’s dedicated packaging recycling plant near Dusseldorf was also launched last year.


According to him automotive industry is using substantial amount of recycled aluminium driven by the growing use of aluminium in cars for lightweighting.  Novelis is working closely with companies like Jaguar Land Rover to develop a closed-loop recycling process for aluminium. Recently, the company was rewarded during Aluminium 2016 Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany for its role in developing the Recycled Aluminium Car (REALCAR) project in collaboration with JLR.

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He says that aluminium packaging is comparatively easy to recycle than many other materials. He reiterated the need to educate consumers regarding ‘how and why’ of recycling and to instil confidence regarding the viability of metal packaging recycling.  The metal packaging industry is working with local authorities and the waste management sector to create awareness and educate people. He cites campaigns like MetalMatters which are having an impact on people.

He believes that the new recycling guidelines from WRAP will help consumers to clear confusion regarding the recyclability of various packaging like aerosols, coffee pods, foil trays, and bottle screw caps. Alupro he says will continue supporting local authorities with their range of free resources for local campaigns and the Recycle Now metals focus. He maintains the stand that despite all the educational initiative programmes, significant volumes will always end up as mixed domestic and commercial waste. He cites aluminium recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) as one of the areas of growth for recycled metal. In the UK, Alupro estimates that just over 20,000 tonnes is recoverable annually from incinerator bottom ash and they expect this figure to double by 2025.

Recovering materials through a closed-loop recycling system is the focus for the UK aluminium recycling industry.  However, new treatment technologies are also making significant contribution to recycling across Europe.  He says with the growth of energy from waste new technologies will play an increasingly important role in reaching the targets of the metal packaging industry.