sustainability

  • Phoebe Kelly

Celebrating 15 Years of Drink Can Recycling with Every Can Counts

Celebrating 15 Years of Drink Can Recycling with Every Can Counts 2560 1707 Phoebe Kelly

Have you heard the news? We’re celebrating our 15th anniversary, which means 15 years of drink can recycling fun with Every Can Counts!

Established in Birmingham as a workplace recycling scheme back in 2009, Every Can Counts is now active in 21 countries across the world, including Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and, most recently, the United States.    

27 ECC representatives from across the globe met in Prague ahead of the European Aluminium Packaging & Recycling Seminar to mark the milestone. The celebrations were accompanied by a meeting where representatives from each region shared local success stories, and the group discussed the next steps in the development of the programme’s global strategy.

Humble Beginnings

15 years ago the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) identified that many workplaces didn’t have the infrastructure for employees to recycle their drink cans. So, they launched an innovative workplace recycling scheme to help local businesses recycle drink cans consumed away from home. It was called “Every Can Counts.”

Over the years, ECC has widened its focus to target and engage consumers beyond the workplace, encouraging people to recycle their empty cans wherever they are. When it started life, 54% of the UK’s aluminium drink cans were recycled and, since then, this has grown to 81%.

Through a range of creative partnerships and activations, ECC works to communicate the benefits of can recycling and improve out of home recycling facilities, with more than 19,000 of its drink can collection boxes distributed across the country since the programme was founded.  

A Spotlight on our Achievements

Festivals, Events & Brand Partnerships

From our first festival appearance in 2010 to placing third in this year’s Red Bull Soapbox Race, we have taken our recycling message to over 150 festivals, brand and sports events. We have also directly partnered with 14 prominent drink brands, most recently launching a partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company at the start of 2024.   

Art Installations & Campaigns

Our annual International Recycling Tour – first launched in 2020 – has also worked to bring recycling to the forefront, with a different sustainability theme each year and a unique PixelCan artwork made from 2,000 recycled cans.  

Green Can Awards

Along the way, the programme has also awarded 30 of its Green Can Awards to the businesses, organisations, and individuals going above and beyond within their communities when it comes to can recycling. Winners include the Crewe Clean Team, who have recycled over 200,000 used drink cans over the last decade.  

With the support of ECC, 50 community groups in the UK have established can recycling collections in their local area, using this activity to inspire further positive change. For example, Cans4City has raised over £15,400 for Exeter City Community Trust by collecting more than 19 tonnes of drink cans.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager at Every Can Counts, said: “Since Every Can Counts was founded, the recycling rate for aluminium drink cans in the UK has increased by an impressive 27%. We’re incredibly proud of our contribution to this movement, beating the drum about the importance of recycling used drink cans and inspiring positive behaviour change.

“We’ve come a long way from humble beginnings in Birmingham to evolving into a global programme with an ever-growing team working hard to spread our message – including that every can recycled can be back on the shelf in 60 days and recycled time and time again.  

“We can’t wait to see what the next 15 years have in store for us as we continue to inspire and empower individuals to recycle.”

So…What’s Next?

As the story of Every Can Counts continues, we’re excited to inspire change, drive innovation, and promote closed-loop recycling. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing new cans from raw materials, so when you recycle, you’re not just saving energy and resources—you’re embarking with us on a journey that lasts forever. Here’s to the next 15 years and counting!

How to Get Involved

  1. Recycle your drink cans while you’re out and about. If there is no recycling bin around, hold on to your cans until you find one, or take them home and recycle them there.
  2. If you’re camping or picnicking in the great outdoors, bring some bags with you so you can separate your recycling from your general waste.  
  3. If you work or volunteer at an organisation with no drink can recycling facilities in place, we can help you do something about it! Set up a can collection point by requesting a free Every Can Counts starter pack here.
  4. Help us spread the Every Can Counts message! Remember that aluminium recycles forever, and drink cans have the potential to go around the recycling loop in just 60 days. Help us get the word out there to those who don’t know and encourage everyone to recycle their cans on-the-go!
  • Phoebe Kelly

100,000 Cans & Counting: An Every Can Counts Summer

100,000 Cans & Counting: An Every Can Counts Summer 2560 1920 Phoebe Kelly

29 days , 62 recycling ambassadors and over 100,000 drink cans collected for recycling… Our summer of events has officially come to an end for another year!

And this summer, we’ve helped festival goers across the UK and Ireland recycle over 100,000 cans – a 59% year on year increase – while spreading the word about the importance of recycling.

Festival Fun: Recycling on the Go

Outdoor events and festivals are synonymous with summer, and this year, we made sure that Every Can Counts was at the heart of the action. We partnered with several major events and festivals to help spread the recycling message far and wide. Here are some highlights from each event:

The International Recycling Tour: Bristol City Centre

Our summer kicked off with the fourth installation of our International Recycling Tour, where we brought a giant polar bear installation made of recycled aluminium cans to mark World Environment Day.

Alongside the PixelCan, our dedicated ambassadors were also at the promenade, embodying our mission to promote the recycling of drink cans consumed outside the home and inviting the public to recycle their empty cans on the go.

Click here to learn more about the PixelCan installation which appeared in Bristol.

Download Festival

We then headed to Donnington Park to spread the recycling message with one of our favourite crowds at Download Festival!

Our recycling ambassadors engaged with more than 2500 people, while festival-goers recycled over 30,000 cans in exchange for our #EveryCanCounts rewards, including our iconic ‘Metal Never Dies’ t-shirts and our Download keyrings made from recycled aluminium. And let’s not forget that thousands more cans were recycled in our voting bins and can-shaped backpacks!

The Red Bull Soapbox Race

We entered the #RedBullSoapboxRace to raise awareness about the importance of recycling drink cans… but we never imagined we’d end up on the podium! At this year’s Red Bull Soapbox Race in London, we placed third, beating 55 other teams with our aptly named Chitty Chitty Can Can to claim the bronze medal.

Our soapbox, our costumes and even our dance routine aimed to inspire people with the magic of can recycling, and we were blown away by the reception we received from the crowds at Ally Pally!

Click here to learn more about our journey to the podium at the soapbox race.

Stendhal Festival

Our team of recycling ambassadors returned to Stendhal Festival in Limavady, Northern Ireland. They brought their enthusiasm to the festival grounds as they interacted with attendees while carrying their iconic recycling backpacks and sparking meaningful conversations about the importance of recycling. We also brought our ‘I Heart Recycling’ can cages to the festival, providing a powerful visual reminder for everyone to responsibly recycle their empty cans.

2000trees

We returned to 2000Trees in July where everyone continued to show us their commitment to recycling by consistently filling our can cages throughout the festival! Over 12,000 cans were collected in our ‘I Heart Recycling’ cages and over 500 people took the time to stop and chat with our team of ambassadors who were roaming around the site to spread the Every Can Counts message.

Our recycling rewards were also a huge hit at 2000Trees, as many people rocked their recycling-themed temporary tattoos across the weekend.

Latitude Festival

Not only did we unveil a brand-new set of can cages, but we also brought our canny mascots to life at Latitude 2024! Adorned in over 300 drink cans, our canny mascots made quite the impression as they danced, hugged, and high-fived their way into everybody’s hearts!

An incredible 1500 people took part in our recycling questionnaire, with even more people getting into the recycling spirit and chatting to our team around the festival.

Putting the Fun into Recycling

At each event, our passionate team of recycling ambassadors collected drink cans using a variety of creative and innovative methods including:

  • Recycling rewards—We gave festival-goers at Download, Latitude and Electric Picnic the opportunity to win a special edition t-shirt or a keyring made from recycled aluminium by bringing our recycling ambassadors a bag of cans ready to be recycled!
  • Temporary tattoos – we offered recycling-themed tattoos to all the recycling superheroes at our events!
  • Fun ways to recycle your empty drink cans – we gave people the opportunity to cast a vote for their favourite headliner by recycling their cans in our voting bins. We also brought our iconic ‘I Heart Recycling’ cages to the Soapbox Race, Stendhal and 2000Trees; while the Latitude crowd could recycle their cans in our brand new LATITUDE recycling cages!
  • Our canny mascots – our recycling ambassadors took turns to wander around the site at the Red Bull Soapbox Race and Latitude in an iconic suit made from over 300 cans.
  • Our motorised soapbox – maybe you saw our eye-catching half-can, half-plane aluminium soapbox driving around the campsite villages at Download and Latitude to spread the recycling message!

Our Recycling Questionnaire

In addition to recycling drink cans, the ambassadors also gathered over 6,700 responses for Every Can Counts’ recycling survey, with the results revealing that festival goers would recycle more when they’re away from home if there were more recycling points.

Beaches and green spaces, streets, and shopping centres were named the top locations where people feel more drink can recycling points are needed.

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager at Every Can Counts, said: “It’s been a fantastic summer working with major festivals and event organisers across the UK and Ireland, as well as our drink brand partners, to raise awareness about the importance of recycling.

“Thanks to the enthusiasm of festival goers and our dedicated team of ambassadors, we’ve not only recycled over 100,000 cans across the UK, but also hopefully inspired thousands to make recycling a part of their daily lives.

“Every can that is recycled can be back on the shelf in 60 days and if we work together, we can all enjoy greener festivals while getting closer to our goal of a 100% drink can recycling rate.”

Looking Ahead: Help Us To Keep The Cycle Going

If you came across the Every Can Counts team this summer and are now feeling inspired to make a difference, here’s a reminder of a few things you can do to make your empty cans count:

  1. Recycle your drink cans while you’re out and about. If there is no recycling bin around, hold on to your cans until you find one, or take them home and recycle them there.
  2. If you’re camping or picnicking in the great outdoors, bring some bags with you to separate your recycling from your general waste.  
  3. If you work or volunteer at an organisation without drink can recycling facilities, we can help you do something about it! Request a free Every Can Counts starter pack here to set up a can collection point.
  4. Help us spread the Every Can Counts message! Remember that aluminium recycles forever, and drink cans have the potential to go around the recycling loop in just 60 days. Help us get the word out there to those who don’t know and encourage everyone to recycle their cans on-the-go!

But the fun doesn’t stop here! We have plenty of exciting things planned for the coming months, with more events and initiatives in the pipeline. Together, we can continue to make a difference and make sure that every can really does count.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this summer!

  • Phoebe Kelly

Our Journey to Third Place at the Red Bull Soapbox Race

Our Journey to Third Place at the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2560 1708 Phoebe Kelly

We entered the Red Bull Soapbox Race to raise awareness about the importance of recycling drink cans… But we never imagined we’d end up on the podium!

Our soapbox, costumes, and even our dance routine aimed to inspire people with the magic of can recycling, and we were blown away by the reception we received from the crowds at Ally Pally!

Chitty Chitty Can Can

Aptly named Chitty Chitty Can Can following a public poll on our social media a few months ago, our soapbox was designed to look like a recycling collection truck with a stylish twist. Complete with an eye-catching paint job, chrome engine pipes and a fur interior; we wanted to ensure that all eyes would be on our soapbox as it took to the track.

Her stunning exterior left spectators in awe, with commentators declaring her ‘the best soapbox [they’d] ever seen’.

Watch our race in full below:

Swapping the Office Wear for a Can Suit

Every aspect of our soapbox entry aimed to inspire people with the magic of can recycling: the costumes, the dance routine, and of course our beautiful soapbox!

Every Can Counts’ Programme Manager, Chris Latham-Warde, took on the role of a magician and piloted the soapbox alongside his co-pilot and trusty sidekick, CanMan (also known as Executive Director of Alupro, Tom Giddings). Tom wore a homemade outfit made from more than 350 cans and was brought to life by our magician during the performance.

Paul Bacon and Lee Cox completed our four-person team as the expert engineers behind the recycling-themed racing machine. During our performance, they took on the vital role of ‘bin-men’ and assisted CanMan into the back of Chitty Chitty Can Can, ready to be taken down the track and recycled into a new drink can in just 60 days!

Creating a Sonic Boom

We’re thrilled to have placed third this time, especially after coming 44th in our first attempt back in 2022! We were blown away by the response from the public and the judges at Ally Pally and when asked about the speed of our soapbox, our team claimed that Chitty Chitty Can Can reached speeds of “just under 1,000 miles per hour,” causing a “sonic boom” on the course.

Check out our full scores below:

  • Creativity: 37/40
  • Performance: 39/40
  • Time: 43.24 seconds

About the Red Bull Soapbox Race at Ally Pally

Chitty Chitty Can Can – our soapbox lovingly named by the public – was placed third in the legendary race that attracted thousands of spectators to Alexandra Palace on the 22nd June.

Some facts about the Red Bull Soapbox Race:

  • The race challenges teams to design the craziest of contraptions which rely solely on gravity to navigate the 420-metre downhill course. Participants are then judged on creativity, speed, and showmanship.
  • In total, 59 teams came from all over the UK for the race which was won by London-based The Hurry Houdini, with the Hoveraid crew from Cambridge in second place.
  • Red Bull has held more than 100 races around the world since the original event in Brussels in 2000.

Click here to learn more about the other teams & click here to watch a full replay of the 2024 Soapbox Race.

  • Phoebe Kelly

Record Breaking Recycling in 2023: The Latest Drink Can Recycling Rate

Record Breaking Recycling in 2023: The Latest Drink Can Recycling Rate 2000 1334 Phoebe Kelly

According to new data, a record 10.7 billion cans were recycled in the UK during 2023 – the highest number ever collected and the length of which would reach to the moon and back.

But what does this mean for the drink can recycling rate in the UK?

The Latest Aluminium Recycling Statistics in the UK

Alupro, the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, have revealed the record-breaking stats following an analysis of Environment Agency figures.

They found over 162,000 tonnes of aluminium packaging were recycled in 2023 through kerbside, bring, and on-the-go recycling systems – a 13% year-on-year uplift and a 4% increase since the previous record in 2021.

Click here to read the full news release by Alupro announcing the 2023 UK aluminium packaging recycling rates.

For aluminium drink cans specifically, 81% were recycled in 2023 and last summer, our dedicated team of recycling ambassadors collected and recycled more than 64,000 drink cans at events and festivals across the country, including Mighty Hoopla, Download Festival, and the Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

We plan to emulate this activity this year, with team members heading to a range of events to collect drink cans as part of our goal to one day achieve a 100% recycling rate for drink cans in the UK.  

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said: “These record-breaking figures show the positive impact we can have as a country when we all play our part in the recycling process.

“Big or small, every effort made by the public to dispose of their empty drink cans responsibly helps to inspire further progress and improve recycling rates both at home and on the go.

“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again without loss of quality, and every empty drink can that is recycled can be back on sale as a brand-new can in just 60 days. With World Environment Day just around the corner, we hope people feel inspired by the latest figures and continue to make recycling a priority.”

5 Incredible Facts About Drink Cans

  • The amount of cans recycled in 2023 (10.7 billion) translates to carbon savings equivalent to removing over 250,000 cars from the road for an entire year!
  • Drink cans are currently the UK’s most recycled beverage container.
  • Drink cans are able to be recycled, filled and back on a shop shelf in just 60 days, thanks to the efficient recycling infrastructure in place across Europe.
  • Aluminium (the metal that drink cans are made from) recycles forever!
  • Recycling drink cans uses 95% less energy than creating new ones from primary aluminium.

Learn More

Want to learn more about the drink can recycling process? Visit our dedicated web page which takes you through the life cycle of a humble drink can.

  • Phoebe Kelly

What is Earth Day & Why We’ve Brought a Giant Rainbow to Leeds

What is Earth Day & Why We’ve Brought a Giant Rainbow to Leeds 2560 1712 Phoebe Kelly

Our giant rainbow installation has been unveiled outside of Leeds Station to commemorate Earth Day 2024!

The four-by-seven metre structure is made from more than 2,500 recycled cans and has been created to raise awareness about the importance of recycling.

The #EveryCanCounts Rainbow was revealed on Friday 19th April and will be on display outside the station by City Square until Monday night which ties into this year’s Earth Day.

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day is an annual event which falls on the 22nd April each year and focuses on diversifying, educating, and activating the environmental movement worldwide.

Why Do We Celebrate Earth Day?

Working with over 150,000 partners in over 192 countries – including ourselves – Earth Day hopes to inspire individuals to yield their power and influence as consumers by making more sustainable choices.

Last year, over 9 billion drink cans were recycled in the UK—the equivalent of covering Elland Road’s football pitch with drink cans almost a million times over. Moreover, recycling one tonne of aluminium saves nine tonnes of CO2 emissions, meaning that in 2023, the carbon savings generated by recycling drink cans equated to taking over 246,500 cars off the road.

Why Are We Celebrating Earth Day in Leeds?

According to our new research, Leeds residents drink an average of five cans a week, of which people say they recycle around 74%.

Even though half (54%) say they are more aware of environmental issues than they were 12 months ago, 41% admit that they put recyclable items in refuse bins if recycling facilities aren’t available.

Furthermore, the biggest barrier locals face whilst recycling is the lack of recycling bins in public places (68%), followed by the desire for more recyclable packaging (45%) and clearer signage on recycling bins (40%).

Half (54%) also agree that more needs to be done to educate young people about the importance of recycling.

So… What Can You Do to Help?

In Leeds, eye-catching yellow recycling-on-the-go bins for drinking cans can be found across the city centre and in town centres including Chapel Allerton, Headingley, Garforth, Morley, Otley and Wetherby. This makes it easier than ever for all residents to recycle all they can when out and about as well as at home in their green bins, helping Leeds’ ambition to ultimately become a carbon-neutral city by 2030.

In 2023/24, 398 tonnes of aluminium were collected from the green and recycling-on-the-go high street bins, the equivalent of over 28 million drink cans. If every Leeds household put two more drink cans in their green bin every collection, there would be another 19 million cans recycled in Leeds each year.

Last month also saw 10,000 more Leeds households move on to fortnightly collections, aimed at supporting and encouraging increased recycling. A further 20,000 more are due to move on to weekly collections from early summer.

We want our Rainbow installation to act as a reminder that your small actions CAN make a big impact on our planet. By recycling just one aluminium drink you could save enough energy to power your laptop for 4 hours. So this #EarthDay we want you to remember that although your drink can might be small, your actions really add up to paint a bigger picture… much like the 2,500 drink cans which make up our colourful archway!

How You Can Get Involved in Earth Day 2024!

Alongside the new installation, we are also giving away a £150 Trinity Leeds Gift Card to one lucky winner. To enter the competition, entrants must post a photo of the rainbow in Leeds on Instagram, Facebook, or X before midnight on Thursday 25th April, using the #EveryCanCounts hashtag and tagging our social media channels.

The full competition T&Cs can be found here.

What We Had to Say…

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said: “We’re delighted to see our rainbow installation make its Leeds debut to mark Earth Day this year and look forward to seeing the photography locals capture as part of our competition!

“As well as brightening up the city centre, we hope our installation reminds people about the benefits of recycling their drink cans and makes them feel empowered to make sustainable choices.

“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again, and making cans from recycled metal uses 95% less energy than making them from raw materials. The people of Leeds can play their part in this process by ensuring their empty cans end up in the right bin, allowing this valuable material to remain in circulation.”  

Councillor Paul Wray, Leeds City Council deputy executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space at Leeds City Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see this striking rainbow arch in Leeds to celebrate Earth Day, hopefully it will get people talking about what more they can recycle to look after the planet.

“If we can all pledge to recycle our drink cans when we’re out and about, or at home in the green recycling bin, then these small changes can make a huge difference for the city and the planet.”

  • Phoebe Kelly

Recycle For Kicks Count Northern Ireland Wins Green Can Award

Recycle For Kicks Count Northern Ireland Wins Green Can Award 2333 1838 Phoebe Kelly

Local recycling group, Recycle for Kicks Count Northern Ireland, has won a national award for their ongoing sustainability efforts which have seen over 1,400 kg of aluminium cans recycled in the last year.    

The group, run by Vicky Seviour-Crockett, were presented with a Green Can Award by Every Can Counts in recognition of their achievements.  

With over 5,000 members on Facebook and even more within the local community, the group recycles used aluminium cans, food wrappers, and items that are more difficult to dispose of such as cosmetic and cleaning product packaging.

Formed in 2014 in Mid Ulster, Recycle for Kicks Count now has 41 recycling points across Northern Ireland, including schools, pubs, children’s soft play areas, cafes, and even a converted phone box. 

All of the aluminium cans collected are sold to Mallusk-based recycling company, Bryson Recycling, with the proceeds then donated to Kicks Count, a UK charity working to reduce stillbirth and neonatal death rates.   

The group recycles an average of 150 kg of aluminium cans each month and has donated almost £20,000 to Kicks Count.

Vicky Seviour-Crockett, leader of Recycle for Kicks Count NI, said: “We’re so grateful for the recognition Every Can Counts has given us with this award – it’s really rewarding to have all our hard work acknowledged.  

“From a couple of collection points in Ulster to over 41 across the whole of Northern Ireland, I’m super proud of our team for raising funds for Kicks Count. It is a charity that is very close to my heart, and I credit it with saving the life of my son, so anything we can do to give back to them and help other families is fantastic.”  

Learn more

Find out more about Recycle For Kicks Count by visiting their Facebook Group.

To find out more about the Green Can Award scheme, click here.

  • Phoebe Kelly

Hampshire Recycling Group Wins National Award

Hampshire Recycling Group Wins National Award 2560 1707 Phoebe Kelly

We’re very pleased to announce that local recycling group, Aluminium Can Recyclers for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, has won a national award for its ongoing sustainability efforts which have seen over nine tonnes of aluminium recycled since September 2019.   

The group, run by husband-and-wife duo Janice and David Lipscombe, were presented with a Green Can Award in recognition of their achievements.

With over 239 members on Facebook and even more within the local community, the group recycles used aluminium cans and other metal items from 40 outdoor and 12 indoor collection points which are located in and around Hampshire.

From houses to pubs, clubs, church halls, and even a vineyard, the team work tirelessly to collect recyclable items from locals, with their efforts also extending to Winchester, Basingstoke, Marchwood and Totton where they support local litter picking teams.    

All of the items they collect for recycling, which includes aluminium packaging, electric cables, brass, and copper, are then sold to local recyclers, H&S Metal Recycling Centre and Bryan Hurst Ltd, with all of the profits donated to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.  

Each month, the group raises up to £700 and overall, they’ve donated £17,400 to the Air Ambulance team, with the funds contributing significantly to the running costs of the helicopters which play an essential part in saving lives.

Janice Lipscombe, leader of Aluminium Can Recyclers for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, said: “We’re so grateful for the support Every Can Counts has given us and couldn’t be prouder of our team after winning the Green Can Award.  

“When we first began collecting recyclable items back in September 2019, we were only able to make a £12 donation to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance but since then it’s completely snowballed, with us now giving over 50 times that amount monthly.

“We could never have predicted the success we’ve seen and wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without the help of each and every member of our growing team, including Alison and Martin Kukla, who are a great support in the Winchester area.”

Natalie Russell, Support Worker Engagement Officer at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, said: “The Aluminium Recycling Group have been phenomenal champions of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, raising over £7,000 in 2023 alone.

“Not only do they help us save lives when every minute counts, but they’re protecting our environment, one can at a time. Our patients and their families are grateful for their hard work, and they thoroughly deserve this award.”

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager at Every Can Counts, added: “The efforts of Janice, David, and the rest of their team in Hampshire are just outstanding. Not only are they making a notable difference to the recycling levels in their area, but they’re also supporting the vital work of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance, which is truly inspirational.

“Groups like theirs go to show that every effort – big or small – to recycle can have a lasting positive impact, both within local communities and on the environment.

“Aluminium can be recycled time after time and every empty drink can could be recycled and back on sale as a brand-new can in just 60 days. We can’t wait to see the team continue to make a difference this year and we hope they inspire others across the UK to set-up community-based recycling initiatives of their own.”   

To learn more about the Hampshire-based recycling group or to get involved, you can visit their Facebook Page.

Molson Coors Staff Volunteer as Every Can Counts Recycling Ambassadors at Download Festival
  • ChrisUK

Our New Partnership with Molson Coors

Our New Partnership with Molson Coors 1600 1200 ChrisUK

We’re excited to announce our latest brand partnership with one of the UK’s largest brewers, Molson Coors Beverage Company.

The partnership will see Molson Coors – which produces brands including Carling, Coors and Madrí Excepcional – collaborate with Every Can Counts, alongside drink can manufacturers and the wider recycling industry, to raise awareness of the importance of recycling drink cans at events and festivals.

Molson Coors will also become the first brewer to sign up to Every Can Counts as an annual UK funding partner, in support of our mission to increase recycling rates by inspiring and empowering people to recycle more of their empty cans at events and festivals across the UK.

In 2021 the brewer removed all single use plastic from its multipacks, switching to recyclable cardboard wraps and sleeves. The Coors brand was also the pioneer of the original two-piece recyclable aluminium beer can during the 1950s, replacing the original throwaway steel cans and paving the way for a circular economy for drinks containers.

Kate Macnamara, Corporate Affairs Director at Molson Coors, said: “Every Can Counts does brilliant work to encourage more recycling through positive messaging and engaging consumer initiatives, and we are proud to be a funding partner.

“We’re looking forward to working with Every Can Counts to support more eye-catching and innovative activations at festivals and events across the UK.”

Chris Latham-Warde, Programme Manager for Every Can Counts, said: “It’s fantastic to kick off 2024 with a new partnership, especially one with a company as well known and globally recognised as Molson Coors.

“It’s great to see industry giants lead the way in encouraging their customers to recycle their drink cans at events and festivals and we’re looking forward to working with them to help raise awareness and inspire recycling across the nation.”

Molson Coors Staff Volunteer as Every Can Counts Recycling Ambassadors at Download Festival
Photo: Molson Coors staff volunteering as Every Can Counts Recycling Ambassadors at Download Festival.
  • Phoebe Kelly

Small Can, Big Picture: Our 2023 in Review

Small Can, Big Picture: Our 2023 in Review 2560 1707 Phoebe Kelly

We spread the Every Can Counts message far and wide in 2023, from art installations in city centres to activations at some of the UK’s biggest festivals and sports events.

It’s all part of our mission to inspire, encourage and empower people to recycle their empty cans – wherever they are.

Here’s an in-depth look at how we translated that mission into actions in 2023…

Our Installations & Exhibitions

The Infinity Room Goes on Tour

We started 2023 with a bang in January by exhibiting the #EveryCanCounts ‘Infinity Room’ at Dundee Science Centre.

Our immersive Infinity Room installation is shaped like a giant drink can and made using 1,500 smaller cans. The interior contains 25 square metres of mirrors and creates the illusion of a never-ending sea of aluminum cans, bringing to life the infinite potential of aluminium recycling. As you step inside, a narrator takes you on an educational journey highlighting the importance of recycling drink cans and the positive impact this small action can have on the planet.

The installation spent the summer at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre in Widnes, before moving to W5 Interactive Discovery Centre in Belfast ahead of National Recycle Week in October.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow in York

In celebration of Global Recycling Day (Saturday 18th March), we brought our iconic rainbow archway – made from over 2,500 recycled cans – to York city centre! The seven-metre-wide archway spent a week on display in Exhibition Square, in front of York Art Gallery, brightly highlighting the importance of popping empty cans into the right bin.

Read more about the Rainbow’s exhibition in York here!

The CANvas in Covent Garden

To celebrate Earth Day, we teamed up with Covent Garden and renowned street artist Jimmy C to create a unique art installation made from over 700 repurposed drink cans; the #EveryCanCounts CANvas.

Jimmy C drew in the crowds as he painted the wall of cans live in Covent Garden’s North Piazza, creating an Earth-themed artwork that inspired passers-by to do their bit for the planet.

The artist then returned a week later to create a second design on a new CANvas of recycled cans. This time the artwork featured a crown, to mark the upcoming coronation of King Charles III. This coronation-themed CANvas remained in Covent Garden for five weeks, becoming a popular photo opportunity for the many visitors to this busy London district.

A PixelCan Wall of Art for World Environment Day

To celebrate World Environment Day, we participated in the International Recycling Tour – an annual Every Can Counts event spanning 20 cities in 16 countries.

The International Recycling Tour is an opportunity for all the Every Can Counts programmes around the world to come together with a coordinated campaign. The mission is simple: inspiring people to recycle their empty drink cans and keep public spaces clean.

In the UK, we kicked things off in style with an eye-catching display at the Mighty Hoopla Festival in Brockwell Park. 2,000 recycled drink cans were transformed into a stunning, nature-inspired PixelCan wall of art, while a team of ECC ambassadors roamed the site collecting cans and engaging with festival goers.

Read more about the 2023 instalment of the International Recycling Tour here.

Our Summer at Events and Festivals

Each year our recycling ambassadors hit the road to spread the Every Can Counts message at festivals and events – and 2023 was no exception! Our team headed to 12 major events across the UK this summer, from the thrills of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix to the rock anthems of Download Festival in Donington Park.

We pulled out all the stops to engage attendees with our fun and educational activities. And with our recycling backpacks, can cages, and voting bins, we helped keep the party going while keeping the planet happy!

Our Every Can Counts Soapbox, which participated in the 2022 Red Bull Soapbox Race in London, proved to be a star of the show. Revamped for 2023 with an electric motor and a new body made from recycled aluminium, our soapbox continued to turn heads wherever it went.

And a special shout out to our drink brand partners – Pernod Ricard UK, Red Bull, Most Wanted Wines, White Claw Hard Seltzer, and Canned Wine Co – who joined forces with us to spread the Every Can Counts message at several festivals and events throughout the summer.  

If you’d like to learn more about our summer of recycling fun, click here to read our dedicated blog post!

Our 2023 Green Can Award Winners

A massive congratulations to Bodega 51 Can Bar and Haileybury School who each received a Green Can Award in 2023, in recognition of their sustainability efforts and ongoing commitment to recycling drink cans.

Students at Haileybury School were rewarded with a workshop led by social enterprise, Casting Innovations. During this workshop they learned about the infinite recyclability of aluminium, as well as the melting process, and were able to make their own keyring from recycled aluminium.  

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Green Can Award winner? Apply on our website today!   

Or if you’re looking for some inspiration to start your own recycling scheme, click here to read about some of the incredible initiatives who are using drink can recycling to raise funds for charitable causes.

2024 here we come!

We’re now cooking up a storm of exciting plans for the year ahead and working on brand new installations and activities to take our message further than ever before! Get ready to be inspired as we take the next steps on our journey towards a 100% recycling rate for drink cans.

Make sure to follow us on social media for updates on our latest activities as the year unfolds!

  • Phoebe Kelly

Cash for Cans: A Creative Fundraising Solution For Your Cause

Cash for Cans: A Creative Fundraising Solution For Your Cause 2560 1715 Phoebe Kelly

You might know that recycling your empty drink cans is good news for the environment, but did you know it can also be good news for your local community? By taking your aluminium cans to a metal merchant or recycling centre which takes ‘cash for cans’, drink can recycling could be the perfect fundraising opportunity for community groups and charities who want to boost recycling rates while also raising money for a good cause.

Why Cash for Cans?

Aluminium packaging is one of the most valuable materials in your recycling bin. Many metal merchants offer between 30p-50p per kilo of drink cans collected and brought in for recycling. To give you an idea of quantity, approximately 80 aluminium cans make up a kilo.

Many people collect cans to raise money for a charity of their choice or to support a community project or initiative. If you need a bit of inspiration to get started with your own fundraising project, then you’re in the right place! We’re shining a spotlight on three amazing fundraising initiatives that have been made possible through drink can recycling. Not only have these projects improved drink can recycling rates in their area, but they’ve also raised vital funds for their community or a project close to their hearts. Let’s take a look at what they have achieved.

The Neasden Temple

First up in our trio of recycling heroes is BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London – which is otherwise known as the Neasden Temple. This temple opened in August 1995 was Europe’s first traditional Hindu stone temple, created by the vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS which is a worldwide charitable Hindu organisation.

This incredible temple, found in North West London, was constructed using traditional Hindu architectural methods, meaning that no structural steel was used. The Italian marble selected for this impressive building was sent to India to be carved by craftsmen and then shipped to London to be assembled into the Temple which stands today.

Between 1992 and 1995 a nation-wide recycling campaign was launched to fund the construction of the Neasden Temple. In less than three years, a massive total of over 7 million drink cans along with 91 tonnes of aluminium foil was collected by a group of young children involved in the initiative which provided BAPS with a grand total of £75,000, all of which helped to bring the Neasden Temple to life. This incredible feat is known to be one of the largest aluminium can recycling efforts run by a charitable organisation in the UK. But more than this, the initiative provided young children with a greater understanding of recycling and a sense of community involvement. Their recycling efforts and contribution to its construction, instilled the notion that the Neasden Temple was being built for both themselves and for future generations.

Want to learn more about the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir? Visit their website by clicking here.

Aluminium Can Recycling Group for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

Next up, we are putting a spotlight on Janice and David Lipscombe who, back in 2019, began recycling aluminium drink cans to help raise funds for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. After their first donation of £12, word about their scheme spread across the community and inspired a growing number of people to join their recycling efforts.

From individuals to businesses; from scouts and guide groups to litter-picking groups; many people are now involved in the initiative, which has gained over 200 members on Facebook. They now have 37 recycling points set up across Hampshire, with locations ranging from a local church to a vineyard! These recycling bins are emptied once a month and the aluminium cans are then taken to an industrial recycling centre which offers ‘cash for cans’. Any money received from this exchange is then donated directly to Air Ambulance Hampshire & Isle of Wight.

Since starting the initiative four years ago, the group has collected approximately 9 tonnes of aluminium, which includes foil, tea light holders and wine tops, with their main source of income being recycled drink cans. Their recycling efforts have rewarded them with a grand total of £14,800 which has been donated directly to the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Want to get involved? Click here to join their Facebook group!

Cans4City

The third fundraising project we want to shine a light on is the Exeter-based initiative, Cans4City. The scheme was originally founded in 2005 by Exeter Football Club and encourages Exeter football fans, who want to support the club, to recycle their empty drink cans and raise money for charity.

After partnering with Exeter City Council in 2019, Cans4City really started to take off within the local community. Working with the council’s waste management department, Cans4City now has over 20 aluminium recycling points throughout Devon and has collected more than 19 tonnes of drink cans.

Cans4City has raised over £15,400 from their recycling efforts, with all funds going towards projects and initiatives run both by the football club and its partner charity Exeter City Community Trust. Donations have been made towards a football kit for refugee team Exeter United, a mental health awareness programme for the ECFC Academy, purchasing a defibrillator for Cliff Hill training ground, as well as a number of improvements to St James Park and its Memorial Garden. Over the past year, a particularly proud moment for the group was putting the funds raised from their recycled drink cans towards the purchase of picnic benches made from plastic waste collected at the football club over the course of 9 months.

For more information about the scheme, please click here.

Ready to Get Started with ‘Cash for Cans’?

If you need a bit of inspiration to get started with your own recycling project, these groups are excellent examples to follow. Not only do they help the environment by recycling, but they also support their communities in significant ways.

So, if you’re feeling inspired and you want to start your own drink can collection scheme, then we’re here to support you! We provide cardboard recycling bins (designed for indoor use), bin stickers, and posters to help spread the word about the importance of drink can recycling and encourage others to get involved. We’re also happy to offer advice on finding a local metal merchant who offers ‘cash for cans’ and/or how to get the best price for your cans.

So, get in touch by sending us a message on our contact form or via any of our social media channels!

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