UBC Recycling Rate Hits 55 Percent in U.K.

According to Rick Hindley, executive director of the U.K.-based aluminum recycling association Alupro, the aluminum beverage can recycling rate in the United Kingdom reached 55 percent last year.

Hindley made the announcement during the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation’s (Alupro) 2010 conference. While noting that the figure is an increase from the 51 percent UBC recycling rate in 2008, more work needs to be done to continue to grow the recycling rate.

"Achieving a recycling rate of 55 percent is a major achievement. We have a long-term ambition to grow our recycling rate further, but this will require significant changes to the recycling infrastructure and the creation of even more effective partnerships with everyone involved in aluminum recycling. Our work shows that with the current infrastructure a 65 percent recycling rate can be achieved by 2020, to go beyond this will require a massive effort and significant infrastructure changes," Hindley says.

"The future for aluminum recycling is very positive. Demand for scrap is only going to continue to grow and we are going to continue to actively promote the recycling of aluminum beverage cans, foil and aerosols," Hindley adds.