pressrelease

Contact: Ruth Meeke
Tel: 01527 597757

September 26th, 2007

NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL ASKS RESIDENTS TO 'RECYCLE FOR AFRICA'

North Lincolnshire Council has signed up to a scheme promising to grow a fruit tree in Malawi for every tonne of aluminium drinks cans and foil recycled over the next two years. The Mayor of North Lincolnshire, Tony Ellerby, launched the event at Normanby Hall on Wednesday 26 September.

You can easily recycle aluminium cans by using your green box which is collected every two weeks from outside your home. As well as this, recycling banks are available at most main supermarkets, pub car parks and community centres.

Recycling aluminium is 20 times more efficient than making it from the raw material bauxite. So getting into the habit of recycling saves massive amounts of energy.

The project will make a real difference in building a future for Malawi. At the moment only a small number of improved fruit trees are imported into the area from South Africa.

The trees planted are of a high value to the people of Malawi. Therefore will not be chopped down for firewood. This will help tackle de-forestation in the area.

The initiative is run by not for profit organisation Alupro, in partnership with the Ripple Africa charity. These organisations, along with North Lincolnshire Council, are working together to help Malawi people improve stock volumes and as a result build new businesses.

The amount of aluminium recyled has risen by 47 per cent since Alupro ran the first scheme in 2003. More than 100,000 trees have been planted.

Cllr Len Foster, Deputy and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Environment said: " The scheme is a massive incentive for people to recycle. By simply recycling all aluminium cans you can really make a difference to people living in poverty and at the same time improve your carbon footprint.

I am sure recycling will become a higher priority for everyone in North Lincolnshire when the scheme is in place."

ENDSENDS