pressrelease

Contact: Cherry Hamson
Tel: 01527 597757

December 14th, 2005

CLIMATE CHANGE CAMPAIGN HELPS TACKLE NEW RECYCLING TARGETS

Recently-announced packaging recycling targets mean that household collection has to double if targets are to be met and costs to industry contained.

Spurring the public to get the recycling habit is crucial to success, and an ambitious new campaign to persuade the public to get recycling links the amount we recycle in the UK with helping to tackle climate change in sub-Saharan Africa - the more we recycle, the more help we can give. A tree will be grown for every tonne of aluminium drinks cans and foil given for recycling until September 2006 and, if successful, well beyond that date.

With more than 300 local authorities and 2,000 schools already signed up in support, representatives of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), the not-for-profit organisation sponsoring the initiative, have visited the Gabio Forest in Burkina Faso to see how the first phase of funding is being used to buy seed for 10,000 trees.

Seedlings of four tree species grown for food and medicinal uses - mango, cashew, baobab and nere - are produced in a special nursery in the Forest, and given to people in local villages for planting out in the rainy season, so that survival rates of around 88% are achieved.

Norman Lett of Ball Packaging was impressed by what he saw: "Climate change is causing real problems in the African drylands, where people depend on the forest for their livelihoods. Trees are dying earlier, bush fires are more widespread, and food is more scarce. Re-planting trees, and learning how to manage the new situation more effectively is essential for the future of the area, and our partners, Tree Aid, are doing an excellent job."

Alupro communications director Cherry Hamson said "The welcome we were given in the very remote villages we visited showed clearly that our contribution is already starting to improve people's lives.

"The challenge now is to get the message across to the British public, so they can see that making a simple decision to recycle not only saves energy but really is combating the effects of climate change in one of the poorest countries in the world. We want to make this a long term commitment so we can follow the trees we plant this year through to maturity, and build relationships between UK recyclers and our partners in Africa through the Alupro website.

"To make this a major national campaign, we need the support of packaging producers and retailers, and we'll be taking our promotional ideas to them. Climate change is just beginning to hit home in the UK, and we think this campaign will both improve recycling rates - and genuinely help tackle the problem."

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