The MetalMatters initiative has been selected as a finalist in the “Campaign of the Year” category of the National Recycling Awards 2025, which will be held on November 25 at the Hilton London Metropole. This recognition highlights the most innovative actions in waste management and recycling in the United Kingdom.
Led by Alupro (Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation), the campaign was implemented in January 2025 in collaboration with the Leicestershire County Council. For six weeks, digital tools and social networks were used to raise awareness among the county’s 316,000 households about the importance of recycling metal packaging. The main message was that recycling a single aluminum can can save enough energy to keep a television on for four hours.
The data collected before and after the campaign showed a 9.8% increase in the amount of metals recycled, despite a general decrease of 2% in total recycling volumes in the same period. In addition, the value of the additional material collected, added to the savings from avoiding landfill disposal, allowed the campaign to be self-financed in just two months.
Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, stressed that this recognition underscores the importance of communication initiatives to generate sustainable behavior changes. According to Giddings, “being a finalist in the National Recycling Awards is excellent news; it demonstrates the interest in communication initiatives and their ability to generate profound changes.”
Since its launch in 2012, MetalMatters has been adopted by more than 128 local authorities in the United Kingdom, improving recycling rates in various communities. The initiative is supported by major manufacturers and processors of metal packaging, such as Novelis UK, Tata Steel, Unilever, Ardagh Group, Ball Corporation and others.
