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Alupro seeks to capture ‘missing’ recycling data

United Kingdom – UK recycling organisation Alupro is funding a third-party study to identify the ‘€˜real’€™ tonnage of aluminium packaging captured for recycling. This move follows the industry’€™s general concern about the suitability of the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system for recording aluminium packaging recycling.

The current PRN system requires voluntary accreditation by reprocessors and exporters, and yet many choose not to become accredited so their tonnages are not captured, according to Alupro. These ‘gaps in the data’ mean that the overall recycling performance appears weaker than the reality, it is argued.

Independent environmental consultancy Resource Futures is now reaching out to reprocessors and exporters of aluminium that have been accredited in the past but are not currently in the system. Alupro hopes this will determine the additional amount of aluminium packaging being recycled but going unreported. ‘We are also contacting trade associations to help capture more missing data, to help build a more complete picture,’ notes analyst Bernie Thomas.

A ‘sound basis’

Rick Hindley, executive director of Alupro, comments: ‘Following figures for the first quarter being lower than anticipated, the figures for the second quarter show a continuing shortfall – at 12 334 tonnes compared to the estimated 16 750 tonnes per quarter required to achieve the target.’

The initial phase of the Resource Futures study will be completed by the time the PRN figures relating to the third quarter are released. The alternative total is expected to provide a ‘sound basis’ for comparison with PRN figures.

‘With the EU Circular Economy Package likely to raise recycling targets even further, it is vital that we understand exactly how much aluminium packaging is in the household waste stream, and exactly how much is being recycled,’ Hindley adds. ‘Alupro’s proactive approach demonstrates our commitment to getting this right.’

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