A two-year partnership between Suez and Alupro forms part of a roadmap to collect aerosol cans via household recycling streams and improve their recycling rate.
Around 650 million metal aerosols are estimated to be used in the UK every year, and 80% of them are thought to be used in consumers’ homes. Yet research by Alupro suggests that, compared to most other forms of metal packaging, fewer aerosol cans are disposed of in household recycling collections, as many consumers are unsure of their recyclability.
According to the Environmental Services Association (ESA), 18% of the UK population admitted to throwing aerosols in their general waste bins in 2023.
Meanwhile, the UK Government has sought to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a deposit return scheme for drinks containers, and Simpler Recycling legislation – described as a ‘new, simpler common-sense approach to recycling’. Suez and Alupro anticipate that these will ‘present an opportunity for the metal packaging sector to redouble their efforts to push metal recycling rates even higher than they are today’, with the recycling rate for aluminium packaging reported at 68% in 2023.
Their new project intends to offer case studies and data to help improve the capture, sorting, and treatment or aerosol cans. Over the next twelve months, Suez will recruit three local authorities across the UK to monitor and analyze aerosol capture rates; this will form the first phase of the project.
The next phase, set to begin in 2025, will involve a year-long sampling exercise to measure the quantities of aerosols collection in residual and recycling kerbside streams. It will also examine the challenges to sorting and analyzing aerosols collected at kerbside.
A new communications campaign will also be trialled. The goal is to improve consumers’ knowledge surrounding best practice recycling and increase aerosol recycling rates.
It is also expected to establish a baseline recycling rate and stimulate long-term investment into recycling infrastructure.
Suez and Alupro share a goal of ensuring consumers recycle all empty aerosols via household collection services, meaning they will be collected, sorted, and recycled at end-of-life.
The UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative is led by Alupro and unites partners from across the value chain, including Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, Ball Aerosol Packaging, Trivium Packaging, the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA), Ecosurety, Henkel, LINDAL Group, the Materials Processing Institute, CleanEco, Tandom Metallurgical Group, and Tata Steel.
“We’re looking forward to working with Alupro on this exciting and important initiative to improve aerosol recycling in the UK,” said John Scanlon, chief executive officer at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK. “With the 50% aluminium recycling target coming in the near future under EPR, excluding drinks containers, it’s imperative that we maximize the recycling rates of aerosols, through establishing a baseline recycling rate and improving public understanding.
“We’re pleased to be partnering with Alupro to drive forward this initiative and share best practice with the sector through our research findings.”
Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro, added: “This communications, collections and sorting trial represents the next big milestone on our roadmap to higher recycling rates for aerosols, and we’re delighted to partner with Suez, whose expertise in delivering innovative projects led us to approach them to help us with this.
“We’re excited to see the results of the trial as they develop and to use them to build a blueprint for higher recycling rates. Hopefully, the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative will serve as a template for how responsible industries can collaborate to bring the circular economy to life; after all, metal is the perfect material for recycling again and again, so we should be minimizing how much we waste!”
The news comes after Alupro reported a ‘record rate’ of aluminium recycling in the UK at 68% in 2021. It was hoped that the achievement would further incentivize the industry to pursue a 100% recycling rate for aluminium with the continued development of collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure.
Similarly, the International Organisation of Aluminium Aerosol Container Manufacturers (AEROBAL) notes that, in the first half of 2023, global shipments of aluminium aerosol cans increased among its members by over 6.6% - reaching just over 3.2 billion units. The organization underlined a growing interest in CO2 reduction and challenges posed by global economic conditions.
Pringles can manufacturer Sonoco recently announced that, in purchasing Eviosys from KPS Capital Partners for $3.9 billion, it expects to ‘lead’ the manufacture of aerosol packaging and metal food cans globally.
Meanwhile, Plastipak has been nominated for a Sustainability Award this year, with its SprayPET Revolution polymer aerosol falling under the Pre-Commercialized Recyclable Packaging category.
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
How are the top brands progressing on packaging sustainability?
Sustainable Innovation Report 2024: Current trends and future priorities
Reuse vs. single use – which is better for the environment?
The ultimate guide to global plastic sustainability regulation
No comments yet