A study from the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) has revealed that recycling rate for aluminium packaging has reached 55% in 2015 compared to 48% in previous year in the UK.
Alupro has also reported that the estimated recycling rate for aluminium drinks cans has reached 69% from 60%, while business recycling rate for all aluminium packaging exceeded its last year target of 49%, reaching 76,027 tons.
According to the study, about 10,000 tons of qualifying used aluminium packaging did not go through the packaging recycling notes (PRN) system in the last year, which means around 86,200 tons was actually collected for recycling.
The study, which was commissioned by Alupro, has been undertaken by independent environmental consultancy Resource Futures.
Alupro executive director Rick Hindley said: "Our research clearly demonstrates the need to encourage more reprocessors to become accredited to ensure that the PRN system provides an accurate record of recycling performance.
"It sets a clear benchmark for our sector and we will use our findings to focus on what needs to be done to meet the ambitious new material recovery targets proposed under the EU Circular Economy package.
"It is also vital that the measurement system we use in the UK for calculating recycling performance is aligned to the methodology used throughout Europe."
Image: Alupro study into real recycling rate for aluminium packaging in 2015 reveals over 10,000 tons of unreported material. Photo: courtesy of Alupro UK.
