Tata Steel steps up support of MetalMatters
Tata Steel UK is increasing its support for MetalMatters, the metal packaging industry’s UK behavioral change programme which aims to boost capture rates for metal packaging collected at kerbside.
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LUTON RESIDENTS URGED TO MAKE THEIR METALS MATTER
Luton Borough Council is urging residents to make their ‘metals matter’ by encouraging them to recycle more of the estimated 94 million cans, aerosols, aluminium foil trays and wrapping foil used in Luton every year.* Read more
MetalMatters: The numbers keep growing!
MetalMatters launches in Northampton
MetalMatters has launched four new campaigns reaching over three quarters of a million people since the start of the year. This brings the total reach of the campaign since it began to 4.35 million households. Campaigns are currently running in North Lincolnshire, Oxford and all 12 districts of the Kent Resource Partnership. The latest to launch is in Northampton, which got underway this week [7th March 2016].
The metal packaging sector’s partnership communications programme began as a pilot programme in 2010, achieving impressive increases in capture rates for metals collected in two local authority kerbside schemes. The Northampton campaign brings the number of local authorities benefiting from the programme to 73.
MetalMatters is providing local authorities with an ‘off the shelf’ campaign which can be tailored to suit budgets and local marketing channels. The message that metals can be recycled forever, and can be transformed into new objects over and over again resonates very powerfully with people of all ages and backgrounds. Put simply: they get it!
MetalMatters communications materials equip local authorities with the resources to explain, educate and remind people about the value of recycling. The campaign is based around two leaflet drops, which take place six to eight weeks apart, and the messages can be further reinforced through advertising, collection vehicle livery panels, local roadshows and PR activity. Templates for all types of campaign are available – saving councils time and budget on developing new materials. How much additional promotional activity takes place is down to the local authority, but support and advice is provided at each step of the project by programme managers, Alupro. And with the value of additional metal collected campaign costs can be recovered within months – campaigns in Shropshire and Kent (2012) demonstrating clearly the financial benefits.
Although the focus is on metal packaging in the household the evidence is that the ‘transformation’ message communicated by MetalMatters is boosting collection of other dry recyclables at the kerbside. So this is one industry partnership that’s working in partnership with local authorities to help raise awareness and increase participation to everyone’s benefit.
Three Scottish Councils join forces for MetalMatters campaign
The latest MetalMatters campaign in Scotland sees East, North and South Ayrshire Councils joining forces to call on residents to make their metals matter and boost household recycling of metal packaging.
Every year, more than 173 million* items of metal packaging are thrown away by Ayrshire households – that’s almost 20,000 drinks cans, food tins and aerosols getting binned every single hour of the day; that’s equivalent to the same weight as 14 double-decker buses every year.
East, North and South Ayrshire Councils are now taking part in the campaign, supported by the metal packaging industry, to dramatically increase the amount of metal the 172,000 households in the area recycle.
All households in the three Council areas will shortly receive two leaflets, distributed six weeks apart, to remind them what can be recycled in their recycling collection and explaining what happens to the metal packaging once it has been collected for recycling. Signage on recycling collection vehicles will also carry the campaign messages and you can find out more at roadshow events, running throughout August and September, and publicity on council websites.
Rick Hindley, Executive Director of project managers Alupro, said: “The MetalMatters programme is one of the most cost-effective ways to motivate residents to recycle more. We are looking forward to seeing positive results from the campaign across Ayrshire as more residents recycle more materials at home.”
MetalMatters is the largest industry-funded recycling campaign in the United Kingdom and has been commended by Scottish and UK Governments for its contribution to driving up and sustaining metal capture rates.
Councillor Eoghann MacColl, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at East Ayrshire Council said: “This superb campaign has already run in over 50 councils across the UK and results show it works, with a significant and lasting increase in the amount of metal packaging collected.
“It represents a win-win position for all of us and it’s amazing to think of all the benefits we can enjoy, just by putting our can, tin or waste metal in the recycling bin!”
Councillor Tony Gurney, North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, said: “I’d like to thank our residents for their ongoing commitment to recycling and would encourage them to continue to help us in our efforts to protect and enhance the area for future generations. Over the years we have shown our commitment to recycling, reducing our impact on the local environment and working with our communities to create a cleaner and greener North Ayrshire and I hope this campaign will help us to build on what we’ve already achieved.”
Councillor John McDowall, Portfolio Carrier for Sustainability and the Environment for South Ayrshire Council added: “Our residents currently recycle around half of their waste, which is a great achievement, but we know we can do even more – and making metals ‘matter’ will play a big part in that. Many of us are now used to recycling the likes of paper or cardboard, and we need to ensure that thinking extends to our waste metal too. The new campaign will help inform people about what happens to their metal packaging once it’s been collected. “For example, the average household uses 380 drinks cans a year, every one of which can be recycled and back on sale in just 60 days – so we can all make a real difference .”
For more information about the new metal packaging recycling campaign visit:
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* Number of million packaging items based on:
600 food tins, 380 drinks cans and 27 empty aerosols thrown out by an average household annually (1007 items), multiplied by approx. number of households 172,000 in North, East and South Ayrshire.
MetalMatters to the rescue for cash-strapped councils
The recent report produced by the Chartered Institution of Waste Management (CIWM) and consultancy firm Ricardo AEA , ‘Waste on the Front Line – Challenges and Innovations’, has warned that recycling rates could start falling because of cuts to council communications budgets.
Local authorities struggling to finance communication campaigns can turn to MetalMatters! The cost-effective programme is proven to raise awareness about metal packaging recycling, motivating residents to get involved and recycle more – whilst paying for itself in a matter of months.
Thanks to the value of the additional metal packaging collected, each MetalMatters campaign delivers excellent ROI, increasing the volume of metal packaging in the household recycling stream, and positively impacting overall recycling rates.
MetalMatters is a proven and affordable way for councils to deliver effective messaging to residents about recycling and can be targeted at every household or to specific rounds or groups. It is based on two leaflet drops, typically delivered 8 weeks apart, to inform and then remind householders about what and how to recycle, and explains what happens to metal packaging in the recycling process.
Kent Resource Partnership: Campaign ROI achieved within 6 months
In addition to the leaflets MetalMatters offers Councils an extensive choice of communications materials including vehicle livery, advertisements, schools materials, social media posts and roadshow activity.
Rick Hindley, Executive Director of project managers, Alupro, says: “The MetalMatters programme is continuing its support for local authority kerbside collections, providing a very cost-effective way to keep recycling at the front of residents’ minds. MetalMatters is the largest industry-funded recycling communications campaign in the United Kingdom and has been commended by central and devolved governments for its contribution to driving up and sustaining metal capture rates.”
He adds: “Partnerships really are the key to delivering services while cutting costs. MetalMatters can help local authorities deliver professional communications campaigns, bolstering recycling rates and delivering excellent value for money. It’s vital that we keep reminding and encouraging people to recycle. We have made excellent progress over recent years, and through cross-sector collaboration we can keep building on that momentum.”
The programme is funded by a partnership of metal packaging manufacturers, fillers and reprocessors and is delivered on their behalf by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), working in partnership with local authorities and their waste collection partners.
Recycling officers are encouraged to explore the case studies to see how the MetalMatters campaign has directly targeted more than 2.7 million households to boost recycling.
Wrexham campaign marks a Milestone for MetalMatters
The first MetalMatters campaign of 2015 sees people living in Wrexham being urged to recycle more of the estimated 58.4 million items of metal packaging they use in their homes every year.* The latest campaign marks a landmark for the industry-funded programme, which has now been deployed in 50 local authorities across the UK, directly targeting over 3 million households.
The new campaign aims to help people understand what can be recycled and explain what happens to the metals collected. The MetalMatters programme, which is funded by the metal packaging manufacturing industry, recyclers and fillers, has teamed up with Waste Awareness Wales and Wrexham Council to launch the ‘make your metals matter’ recycling campaign to raise awareness of the importance of metal packaging recycling and to increase the amount collected from households.
If all the metal packaging used in the Wrexham area each year was collected for recycling it would save around 4,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent to taking over 1009 cars off local streets for a year***.
Aiming to spread this message throughout the area the communications campaign will reach more than 58,000 households and includes leaflets which will be sent to every home, online advertising and social media posts which will carry the ‘make your metals matter’ message. Roadshows at local supermarkets will also enable residents to get more information about what they can do to make a difference.
Cllr David Bithell, Lead Member for the Environment and Public Protection, said:
“We’re calling on local residents to make their metals matter and help increase the areas recycling performance. We are committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and we hope the campaign will encourage our residents to recycle more of the metal packaging they use every day. Every can recycled saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours, so a small action like putting your empty bean tin in the recycling bag, box or bin can make a big difference. Our next target is reaching 70% by 2025 help us to reach our target.”
Andrew Osborne, Recycling Officer at Waste Awareness Wales said
“Metal packaging is a priority material to capture for Wales. Recycling as much of it as possible via Wrexham’s green box scheme will stop more of this valuable resource ending up in landfill”
Rick Hindley, Executive Director of project managers Alupro, said: “It is great to be able to work in partnership with Waste Awareness Wales and Wrexham County Borough Council to promote the recycling of metal packaging in the city. The MetalMatters programme has delivered significant increases in the volumes of metal packaging collected for recycling in other parts of the UK, so we’re aiming to repeat – and hopefully better this – in Wrexham.”
The campaign is being jointly funded by MetalMatters, Waste Awareness Wales and Wrexham County Borough Council. MetalMatters is run by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) on behalf of the funding partners.
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* Number of million packaging items based on: 600 food tins, 380 drinks cans and 27 empty aerosols thrown out by an average household annually (1007 items), multiplied by approx. number of households 58,000 in Wrexham.
**Research carried out by the BCME (Beverage Can Makers Europe) during the inception stage of the MetalMatters programme.