Drinks can recycling programme Every Can Counts and Zero Waste Scotland are helping people aroundScotlandrecycle their drinks cans while they are out and about.
With just 12 weeks to go until the Waste (Scotland) Regulations come in to force, Every Can Counts-branded drinks can crushers will this week be launched across seven sites, helping to make it easier for people to recycle as they shop, learn and travel around.
Zero Waste Scotland and Every Can Counts are funding the six-month trial, which is taking place at Stirling’s Thistles Shopping Centre, Falkirk Bus Station, Queen Margaret University, Dundee College and Elgin Academy and is part of Zero Waste Scotland’s work to ensure valuable materials can be recycled.
From 1st January 2014, businesses inScotlandwill be required to separate all of their waste – including metals – for recycling. Every Can Counts has been working with businesses to help them work towards compliance, and now and the programme has joined forces with Zero Waste Scotland to trial the initiative to help make it easier for people to recycle their drinks cans ‘on the go’.
The new can crushers are designed to crush and hold up to 700 aluminium and steel drinks cans at a time – five times more than a conventional recycling container. Operated by people-power rather than electricity, the compact and user-friendly design of the crushers encourages consumers to take a more hands-on approach to recycling.
Andrew McFarlan of Every Can Counts said: “Our new initiative marks an exciting new phase in the Every Can Counts programme, which launched 12 months ago. Already we have 250 businesses using the programme to encourage staff and customers to recycle and now we have the opportunity to encourage people to recycle when they are out and about. We’re here to help each organisation taking part in their own sustainability drives.”
Over 250 sites aroundScotlandhave already benefited from the free materials offered by Every Can Counts. More than half of these sites signed up to the programme through their existing recycling service provider. Additional funding for the programme inScotlandcomes from Zero Waste Scotland and AG Barr plc.
