Bournemouth Borough Council
Bournemouth Borough Council was the first local authority to use Every Can Counts to promote drinks can recycling 'on the go'. The Council installed Every Can Counts can crushers on the approach to the main beach in August 2009 and in only 10 weeks six tonnes of drinks cans were collected for recycling.
Every year over 4.5 million visitors to Bournemouth’s beaches generate 168 tonnes of litter – equivalent to 2 ‘Jumbo’ jets.
Bournemouth Council aimed to recycle at least 20% of this during 2009.
65% of rubbish is removed from the Pier Approach area – a pedestrianised area leading down to the main beach.
Six ‘Every Can Counts’ can crushers were installed in this area shortly before the late summer Bank Holiday in August, alongside existing recycling and rubbish facilities which were also re-branded with Every Can Counts stickers.
Promotion:
Local radio station Heart FM ran a week-long recycling campaign and held roadshow and childrens’ competitions on the Pier Approach to raise awareness.
Results:
Every Can Counts crushers will only accept empty drinks cans. Each one holds 700 crushed cans.
During August and September Bournemouth Council were emptying them three times a day. There were no issues of contamination by other materials.
The machines were not vandalised. When they were removed for the winter over six tonnes (approx. 400,000 cans) of metal had been collected for recycling.
The revenue generated from the sale of the aluminium and steel over the 10 week period from August – October covers the cost of purchasing the can crushers (at Jan 10 prices)
Looking ahead
Every Can Counts will be working with Bournemouth Council again in 2010 to promote drinks can recycling ‘on the go’.
We will be running trials at other seaside and leisure locations to encourage more people to recycle when they are away from home.
