INFORMING AND ENGAGING CONSUMERS EFFECTIVELY
An important aspect for the effective separate collection of aluminium cans- both at home and on-the-go- is educating and engaging consumers through effective communication.
To achieve a successful collection system of aluminium cans, it is necessary for PROs, in cooperation with local authorities, to raise public awareness on waste management. Information about local sorting systems should be communicated to householders and end-users through good practice measures such as: the provision of marketing materials, the organisation of awareness-raising campaigns and training programmes through online platforms, public engagement (e.g. roadshows or door-stepping). The budgets of PROs (whether EPR or DRS) should include communication tools and actions to encourage consumers to adopt the proper collection and sorting practices of their packaging waste.
For instance, in several countries, the yellow bin for plastic bottles, metal packaging and drink cartons (PMD) is considered to be only for plastics. There have been attempts to redress this situation by pointing out to consumers that metal packaging should also be disposed of in the same bin. In this regard, one issue with many communication campaigns on recycling is that they fail to focus enough on aluminium cans, demonstrating their poor quality. Instead of referring to recycling in general, EPR and governmental campaigns should stress the value and practicality of recycling various types of materials. This would ensure consumers are better informed and probably also more motivated to collect and separate recyclable containers such as the aluminium beverage can.
Communication campaigns should promote the effective separate collection of the different packaging waste streams. Member States should have, at the very least, a consistent colour scheme for the different types of waste they collect through either kerbside collection or a bring-system. The sharing of best practices among Member States should be facilitated at European level. The beverage industry also needs to work with Member States’ governments and local authorities to boost the key role that consumers can play and provide them with better instructions and information on how to separate their waste and put the different types of used packaging in the right bin or bag. Furthermore, Member States must continue awareness-raising initiatives to further promote waste sorting to avoid that any aluminium packaging ends up in the residual waste.
One of the best efforts to create awareness on the need to recycle beverage cans outside the home, at the workplace or while on-the-go is the Europe-wide Every Can Counts (ECC) programme. ECC is a joint industry initiative by the beverage can manufacturers and the aluminium can sheet suppliers, in partnership with other stakeholders such as drink brands, EPR organisations and festivals organisers. Present in 19 European countries, the programme is highly visible at music festivals, sporting events, parks, universities, shopping centres and offices across Europe where staff working for the programme together with volunteers collect the cans and - through activities with an innovative approach to recycling communications - encourage on-the-go recycling and offer recycling packs.
The key messages of the programme are:
Cans consumed while on-the-go can be recycled over and over again and should be collected and recycled in a similar way as cans consumed at home;
There is no loss of quality during the recycling process and all cans are equally recyclable whatever their colour or format;
Once recycled they can be back on the shelf within 60 days.
The programme demonstrates the commitment of the can makers, the aluminium suppliers and recyclers to driving consumer behavioural change as well as maximising recycling performance through the delivery of positive messaging about the infinite recyclability of beverage cans. It is also backed up by support to event organisers to provide better separate collection facilities. While we need to replicate and build upon such campaigns, there must be a further analysis of what type of activities might increase consumer awareness in specific areas. Last but not least, the current multitude of on-pack recycling logos and labels adopted by brands creates confusion for consumers and can generate barriers to achieving higher recycling rates.
Consumer research14 by Censuswide and released by Can Makers UK in 2019 tested the Metal Recycles Forever logo – available in 19 language versions - alongside widely adopted packaging recycling labels and symbols. The 2,000-people sample consumer research found that the Metal Recycles Forever logo performed better than certain packaging stating “can be recycled” or “will be recycled”. The logo was also more likely to reassure consumers that the packaging was environmentally friendly and positively influenced the consumer into buying a certain packaging format for drinks.
Despite being relatively new, 68% of the respondents said that the Metal Recycles Forever logo either somewhat reassured or greatly reassured them that the packaging can be recycled whilst 62% of the respondents said that the logo reassured them that their packaging will actually be recycled. Consequently, we consider the use of clear and unequivocal messaging on the recyclability of packaging products is an equally important parameter for the effective collection, sorting and recycling of aluminium cans.
The Metal Recycles Forever logo: What is it and what does it stand for?
Source: Metal Packaging Europe, March 2021
A recent survey15 in 14 European countries by the LUCID polling agency in association with the Every Can Counts campaign investigated people’s behaviours and attitudes on recycling. The survey polled a sample size of over-16s balanced in terms of gender and age group in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom from August 5 to September 14, 2020. The 13,793-people research found that:
86% of respondents say that it is more important than ever to recycle. However, it seems that the chief obstacle to higher recycling rates is a lack of infrastructure;
93% of the respondents would like to see more recycling bins on the streets, in public spaces, parks, beaches, or on trails. That number inched up to 94% when people were asked about large events such as festivals or sporting events. Furthermore, a resounding 90% said that these events should only use recyclable packaging for drinks;
People chiefly have problems recycling when out of the home as 83% of respondents said they always, or often, put their drinks packaging in the recycling bin when at home, yet that number plummets to 54% in the workplace, and to only 49% on-the-go. 48% said they recycle in outdoor locations like parks and beaches;
Recyclability also plays an important role in consumer behaviour. Most respondents (54%) said they prefer to use beverage cans because they are easily recyclable. This was also the strongest motivation when compared with other aspects such as light packaging, ease of transport, open on the go, and easy storage. It is thus not surprising that a total of 94% said companies should use a packaging that is infinitely recyclable.
Improve awareness-raising to consumers – Key Messages:
Local and Regional Authorities are invited to:
Raise public awareness on waste management, including littering, through communication campaigns and activities e.g. invitations to the press and relevant stakeholders (PROs, NGOs, think tanks, academia) demonstrating the functioning of the collection system, highly-visible and visual events on public sorting of residual waste bin showing how much recyclables are still in there, etc.;
Provide adequate information on the local collection systems to end-users through good practice measures, e.g. provision of marketing materials, training programmes, online platforms, etc.
Producers and Brand Owners are invited to:
Set up and promote targeted outreach and communication activities, e.g. Every Can Counts project, in cooperation with local, regional and national authorities.