From Trash to Cash: Set Up A Can Recycling Program
Aluminium is rare in that it doesn’t reduce in quality once recycled. So it’s really easy to pass it onto industry, who love to buy it up, as obviously it costs them a lot less. So councils and communities can start programs to recycle aluminium cans (and clean foil) and raise money for public services or local projects.
A study by Keep Britain Tidy found that 80% of littered bottles and nearly 5% of littered cans, contain remains of tiny small mammals (shrews, bank voles and wood mice). Littered cans also attract snails, and can harm inquisitive wildlife (like hedgehogs) along with cutting pet paws and children’s feet.
Before recycling cans, rinse then remove lids (pop ring-pulls over holes). Then use fingers/thumb to ‘pinch’ inner rims together (above) to avoid wildlife getting trapped.
Boycott beers/ciders in plastic can holders
For littered cans wrapped in plastic, rip up the holes and place in a secure (not open) bin. Many supermarkets have banned their sale, as they get trapped around necks and beaks of wildlife. Never buy drinks in plastic can holders.
Alupro (make money for your community)
Order a free starter pack from ALUPRO which will also tell you how to make money for your community, by selling collected cans to scrap metal merchants.
Unlike paper fibres that shorten and plastics that downcycle, aluminium goes round the loop repeatedly, so businesses always want it, to melt into new sheets to make drinks cans to industrial materials.
Making aluminium from ore takes a huge amount of energy, and yet saves around 95% of energy by recycling. It also means fewer lorries hauling residual rubbish and less litter.
You’ll need proof of ID to receive a cheque or bank transfer (they can’t pay cash by law). Most require 5kg or more to accept delivery (this is around 325 cans).
Ensure foil and foil trays are clean and scrunched into a tennis ball (tiny bits get lost in screening machines). Just bin foil with greasy or baked-on food. You can also recycle clean yoghurt aluminium pot lids, foil from Easter eggs and empty aluminium cans (no hissing sound – otherwise take them to your household recycling centre for proper disposal).
How to report cans and other litter
If you see any litter that you are unable to pick up and recycle/bin yourself, send a report (with photos) to Fix My Street. This is sent to local councils, but as reports are made public (ofen by several people), things tend to get fixed quicker.
No matter who drops litter on public land in England, councils have a legal duty to get it removed. For private land, they can serve Litter Abatement Orders (if landowners don’t comply, they can issue fines or send an invoice for the cleaning bill).
How to keep communities free from can litter
Councils can invest in Neat Streets colour-coded recycling bins. These are used for cans, glass, cardboard and plastic bottles. The cost is more than offset, by not having staff go out to pick litter off streets.
Studies have found that people are most likely to use recycling bins when they are brightly-coloured with circular holes, placed by other recycling and waste bins.
It’s especially important to have good recycling bins near vending machines, picnic benches and break rooms. Empty them regualrly (and ensure they have lids, due to England’s windy weather).
