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| Credit: WRAP |
‘metalmatters’, an innovative awareness programme designed to support the UK’s current kerbside recycling schemes, and encourage the public to recycle more at home has launched.
The programme is the result of a partnership between the UK drinks can manufacturers, the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), as well as the aluminium and steel packaging and recycling industries. It aims to enable and encourage more people to recycle the metal packaging they use within the home
Although the industry estimates that some 95% plus of UK local authorities offer a metals collection programme - which about 85% of the UK public have access to - consumer awareness of which materials can be recycled is still quite low in some areas.
‘metalmatters’, was conceived following in depth consumer research and focus groups to understand the current barriers that local authorities are faced with, when trying to drive up recycling rates at home. The results of the testing led to specific communication messages being created, which will be used to target and educate UK households on the value and benefit of recycling metal.
To assist with the research process, the programme invited input from WRAP, a not-for-profit, government backed organisation that specialises in working with businesses and individuals in the UK to help them reduce waste, develop sustainable products and use resources in an efficient way.
Melanie Chilton, spokesperson for WRAP, said,
“Our organisation is dedicated to helping individuals and local authorities reduce waste and recycle more, conserving resources and helping tackle climate change. ‘metalmatters’, is a step further in supporting local authorities and their schemes to drive this message home to consumers.”
Norman Lett, spokesperson for ’metalmatters’, added,
“This is a very exciting project for us, as we now know what we need to be doing, to reassure the public, what they recycle at home really can make a difference. We are constantly striving to make people more aware of how valuable metal is as an endlessly recyclable material.”
Findings from the two pilots will be analysed during the autumn and success measured. Our goal is to create a proven resource that can be used by all local authorities to support behavioural change and thereby encourage more recycling at home.
