The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) report has described the ‘positive and lasting impact’ of its MetalMatters communications campaign in increasing metal recovery rates from kerbside collections, while providing swift return on investment (ROI) for its partners.

The report, ‘The Business Case for Recycling Communications’, highlights the potential benefits of local authorities (LAs) and commercial organisations working together to increase recycling levels.

MetalMatters is a government-recognised voluntary scheme, part-funded by supply chain businesses in the metal packaging sector. It informs local households about ‘what and how to recycle’ and also what happens to their recycled metal packaging after it has been collected.

All of the communications materials are tailored to each individual area to help ensure that they deliver the most impact. Two leaflets are delivered, usually with an interval of six weeks, which are subsequently followed up and reinforced with additional resources such as displays, roadshow events, vehicle livery and local advertising campaigns.

According to Alupro, the campaign has been run in 50 LAs since its launch in 2012, reaching over three million households.

The report found that on average the campaign had cost 27 pence per household and increased the recycling of metal packaging by around 18 per cent, while delivering a ROI within a year, and ‘sometimes as quickly as four months’.

Alupro claims that the availability of proven communication campaign materials is a ‘key element in the cost-effectiveness of the campaign’, that reassures campaign partners that the scheme will generate ‘lasting results’.

Glasgow City Council’s Recycling Manager Scott Armstrong agreed, saying: “The leaflets have obviously been successful elsewhere and benefitted other LAs so we were confident that the messages were tried and tested.

“We are still featuring MetalMatters messaging on the council website and collection vehicles, and hope that will encourage the public to keep recycling more metals.”

Selected results

• London Borough of Lewisham (2014): 25 pence per household, 12 per cent, ROI within nine months;
• Shropshire Council (2014): 25 pence per household, 23 per cent increase, ROI within four months;
• Glasgow City Council (2014): 30 pence per household, 18 per cent increase, ROI within ten months;
• Bedford Council (2013): 33 pence per household, 19 per cent increase, ROI within nine months.

Metal packaging industry going ‘above and beyond’ with support

Speaking of the campaign, Alupro’s Executive Director Rick Hindley said: “Since 2012, the MetalMatters programme has seen over £1 million invested by funding partners in the metal packaging industry. This is above and beyond their obligations under the Producer Responsibility (PRN) system.

“The campaign has also attracted funding from sectors not included in the Producer Responsibility system (including household foil and closure manufacturers), because they see the value of working with the wider industry to promote the recyclability of metal packaging.

“Of course there is still scope to widen the funding base further and we’d encourage any brand or packaging producer to consider investing in MetalMatters.”

Read the full MetalMatters report.