The lifecycle of aluminium packaging starts with metal production, and proceeds through manufacture of the packaging product, to the use of that product to protect goods delivered to the customer. The final part of the loop shows what happens when the packaging is returned for recycling, and the aluminium starts life again.

Overall, 73% of the 900,000 tonnes of aluminium used in the UK have been recycled, with larger products, such as those used for transport and building applications, achieving a 95% rate of return for recycling because of the high unit value. Nearly 100% of scraps arising from production processes are recycled.

The aluminium used for packaging is much more difficult to collect, since it is very light, and discarded in every home, school, office, pub and restaurant. This is why it is so important that every one of us realises the significance of the decisions we make about diposing of different items - and that we choose to recycle our aluminium rather than throw it away.

The aluminium industry can recycle as much well-presented packaging as can be collected: collection is the only issue.

Recycling - rather than producing aluminium from bauxite - makes sound economic sense for the industry: capital costs are lower, recycling plants are smaller and more flexible, and the plants can be located closer both to sources of feedstock scraps, and markets for the recycled metal.