Alupro launches UK aerosol recycling campaign
A new campaign launched by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) is encouraging consumers to recycle their empty aerosol cans.
Running from 18 January to mid-March, ‘the lonely aerosol’ campaign targets social media users with a series of creative digital animations.
Sharing best practice recycling advice, each animated character has been designed to represent the diversity of aerosol containers found within the home. From ‘Pump up the Volume’, a glamorous hairspray can, to ‘Any Old Oil’, a wise old oil can in the garage, the personalities will educate viewers on the critical importance of aerosol recycling.
The campaign is part of a wider cross-industry programme spearheaded by Alupro and run in partnership with Ball Aerocan and the British Aerosol Manufacturers Association (BAMA), which seeks to establish a proper baseline for aerosol recycling rates and address the issue of aerosol recycling in a post-Deposit Return Scheme collection system.
Although 95% of UK councils offer kerbside aerosol recycling collection, only 46% of aerosols are estimated to be correctly separated for recycling by consumers.
“With a DRS set to be introduced across England in 2024, estimates suggest that more than 70% of drinks cans will be removed from the kerbside recycling stream almost overnight,” said Tom Giddings, general manager of Alupro.
“This makes it imperative to improve recycling rates for other forms of aluminium packaging, including aerosol containers.
“However, when considered on their own, aerosols consistently top WRAP’s annual list of confusing consumer packaging types. Furthermore, our research has found that householders are more likely to landfill aerosol containers than separate them for recycling – a hugely disappointing statistic.
“Our digital engagement campaign, ‘the lonely aerosol’, aims to convey an important message. As a society, we need to improve packaging recycling rates and, as an industry, we need to be aware that changes to Extended Producer Responsibility legislation will require evidence of good recycling performance.”
Giddings said the Alupro team is “confident” that its digital engagement campaign will prove valuable in raising awareness.
Running from 18 January to mid-March, ‘the lonely aerosol’ campaign targets social media users with a series of creative digital animations.
Sharing best practice recycling advice, each animated character has been designed to represent the diversity of aerosol containers found within the home. From ‘Pump up the Volume’, a glamorous hairspray can, to ‘Any Old Oil’, a wise old oil can in the garage, the personalities will educate viewers on the critical importance of aerosol recycling.
The campaign is part of a wider cross-industry programme spearheaded by Alupro and run in partnership with Ball Aerocan and the British Aerosol Manufacturers Association (BAMA), which seeks to establish a proper baseline for aerosol recycling rates and address the issue of aerosol recycling in a post-Deposit Return Scheme collection system.
Although 95% of UK councils offer kerbside aerosol recycling collection, only 46% of aerosols are estimated to be correctly separated for recycling by consumers.
“With a DRS set to be introduced across England in 2024, estimates suggest that more than 70% of drinks cans will be removed from the kerbside recycling stream almost overnight,” said Tom Giddings, general manager of Alupro.
“This makes it imperative to improve recycling rates for other forms of aluminium packaging, including aerosol containers.
“However, when considered on their own, aerosols consistently top WRAP’s annual list of confusing consumer packaging types. Furthermore, our research has found that householders are more likely to landfill aerosol containers than separate them for recycling – a hugely disappointing statistic.
“Our digital engagement campaign, ‘the lonely aerosol’, aims to convey an important message. As a society, we need to improve packaging recycling rates and, as an industry, we need to be aware that changes to Extended Producer Responsibility legislation will require evidence of good recycling performance.”
Giddings said the Alupro team is “confident” that its digital engagement campaign will prove valuable in raising awareness.
