Wychavon launches campaign to increase aluminium foil recycling

Wychavon District Council has launched a new campaign in partnership with Alupro to encourage residents to recycle more aluminium foil and other aluminium packaging through its kerbside recycling scheme.

The initiative, titled "Foil in Love with Recycling", follows the introduction of kerbside collection for aluminium foil and aims to improve public understanding of best recycling practices, address common misconceptions and increase aluminium collection rates across the district.

As part of the campaign, residents are being advised to separate used aluminium trays and cooking foil from other waste, scrunch the foil into a ball and place it in their green recycling bins. The awareness programme includes social media campaigns, advertisements at petrol stations, on waste collection vehicles and at railway stations.

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Emma Stokes, Wychavon's Executive Board Member for Resources, Investment and Innovation, said the campaign is intended to help recover more valuable aluminium that might otherwise be discarded with general waste. She also encouraged residents to recycle other aluminium products, including empty aerosol cans and beverage cans, which are often overlooked.

According to the council, households across the Wychavon District use more than 11 million aluminium cooking trays each year. Supported by the introduction of the UK's Simpler Recycling regulations and the inclusion of aluminium foil in comingled kerbside collections, the council aims to reduce the amount of aluminium packaging sent to landfill while improving local recycling rates.

Commenting on the initiative, Tom Giddings, Executive Director of Alupro, said aluminium can be recycled repeatedly without losing its properties. He added that around 30 per cent of all aluminium produced in the UK is not recycled, highlighting the need for greater public awareness and participation in recycling programmes.

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