U.K. Recycle Week 2022: A Celebration of Recycling

Image provided by WRAP.

WRAP, a climate action NGO based in the U.K., is organizing Recycle Week from October 17-23 to celebrate consumer recycling of everyday goods across the U.K. The annual event encourages retailers, brand owners, waste management companies, trade associations, governments and the media to come together to achieve a common goal: “to galvanize the public into recycling more of the right things, more often.” 

In 2021, the campaign achieved over 29 million digital impressions, with 82% of people commenting that they changed their behavior after seeing Recycle Week 2021 content. For 2022, the campaign’s theme is called ‘Let’s Get Real,’ and its objective is to debunk myths surrounding recycling, challenge perceptions and improve behavior.

These initiatives are encouraging. At Crown, we are committed to supporting impactful recycling practices, education efforts and policies to boost global recycling in line with the Optimum Circularity pillar of our Twentyby30 program. In fact, just one week ahead of Recycle Week, Crown collaborated with Ardagh, the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and the International Aluminum Institute (IAI) to organize a Global Aluminum Can Sustainability Summit with leaders from across the aluminum beverage can value chain.

We strive to encourage all stakeholders to contribute to the Circular Economy, as the more that metal packaging can be recaptured and recycled, the larger impact that can be made in reducing emissions, energy consumption and waste. The aluminum beverage can is a prime example of a sustainable packaging material that can be infinitely recycled if placed within the correct streams, with zero loss of properties as it recirculates through the material-to-material loop. Recycling aluminum also saves up to 95% of the energy used to produce virgin aluminum, and more than three-quarters of all aluminum ever produced in still available for use today, demonstrating the continuous life cycle of the material.

To further advance the Circular Economy, we have recently established new recycling rate goals that span the regions in which we operate. In the EMEA region, we are working with industry partners to strive for an 80% recycling rate, while in the U.S., our target is 70% by 2030. In Mexico and Brazil, where recycling rates are in the 90th percentile, we will work hard to maintain that impressive achievement, while in Asia Pacific the aim is to establish country-wide recycling targets in three major markets—Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam—by the end of 2025. 

It is through joint initiatives that these ambitious goals can be achieved or surpassed. It is not an easy task, but as industry groups come together to initiate, facilitate and educate consumers, we continue to move toward a more sustainable future. We all have a responsibility to ensure successful recycling is a priority wherever we place products into the retail supply chain. Together, we will continue to make an impact.

For the latest updates on our sustainability efforts, read our 2021 Sustainability Report or visit crowncork.com/sustainability. For more information on partnering with WRAP for Recycle Week, contact PartnerEnquiries@wrap.org.uk.