Commissioned by Alupro, a poll of 2,000 UK adults was conducted by Yonder between 22-24 November. The poll revealed that many believe that the government should urgently incentivise the take-up of genuinely recyclable materials in 2025.
Some seven-in-10 Britons said the Government should introduce an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system that promotes highly recyclable materials such as aluminium. EPR is a system that mandates brands and retailers to fund the full net cost of collecting, sorting, treating, and recycling packaging waste.
69% of those polled said they believed aluminium is the perfect material to support a circular economy in which packaging is always recycled where possible.
According to annual data published on the National Packaging Waste Database by the Environment Agency, the UK's aluminium packaging recycling rate hit 68% in 2023.
A record-breaking 162,357 tonnes were recycled nationwide, including more than four-in-five beverage cans (81%). Almost 75% of the 1.5 billion tonnes of aluminium ever produced is still in use today.
A poll earlier on in 2024 revealed 73% of Britons want a deposit return scheme to be delivered in all four nations of the UK no later than 2027.
Deposit return schemes, in all four nations of the UK, have been subjected to multiple delays and debate regarding the materials included.
Alupro is set to discuss the issue at a major Parliamentary meeting of cross-party politicians in Westminster on 5 December. The event will explore how the Westminster parties can help drive a real circular economy for aluminium in 2025.
Tom Giddings, Alupro Executive Director, said: “As an industry we are passionate about recycling more of this wonderful material and driving an even more circular economy for aluminium, and as this poll suggests, so is the Great British Public.
“For years Whitehall has been plagued by massive delays on key recycling legislation such as extended producer responsibility and deposit return schemes. Whilst legislation has been laid in the last few weeks, we’re still a while away from effective changes.
“But the British public could not be clearer; they want to see less litter and they want their packaging to not simply be recyclable but actually recycled. To do this Ministers must incentivise the take up of highly recyclable packaging choices such as the aluminium beverage can – the most recycled container in history.”