Can-do attitude will improve recycling

AS our eating habits change, more and more of our food comes wrapped in various forms of aluminium. For instance, more than 90 million aluminium trays are used each day in Ireland, a staggering figure by any standards.

Trays in different shapes and sizes are used in takeaways, prepacked meals and confectionery. But, despite aluminium being one of the most valuable recyclable materials, the can recycling rate is only 50%, while the overall aluminium recycling rate stands at around 30%.

In poorer times in Ireland, aluminium was recycled and was very much in demand by Travellers and collectors of scrap. Today, we’re using much more aluminium, but the tendency is to just throw things away.