Hi all,

Just drawing your attention to two new articles I have posted on aluminium:

Aluminium Production:

As one of the lightest and most plentiful metals in the Earth’s surface, aluminum has become the premiere material for constructing beverage containers since its first use for this purpose in 1965. It is also one of the most environmentally and economically feasible products in use today for the purposes of recovering and recycling previously used aluminum containers and cans [...]

Recycling Alumimium:

It’s amazing just how much we could help clean up our environment if people would just recycle the aluminum cans they thoughtlessly throw into the trash a send to the landfills every single day. The American people throw away no less than thirty-five billion aluminum cans every single year! [...]

I welcome the news that Aberdeenshire Council are adopting an innovative approach to increasing recycling efforts through reverse vending machines at bus stations. Passengers gain points for every can and bottle they recycle. As the Park and Ride location they are using attracts 100,000+ users a year this could help reduce a significant number of bottles and cans from landfill. It is much easier to take your can and bottle on a trip you are making anyway than having to go out of your way to the recycling centre.

For every 50 green points (1 item = 1 point) that a passenger accumulates they receive a 20p bus travel voucher, and 100 points earns them a 50p travel discount. It maybe does not sound a lot but to be honest the amount you receive is not the determining factor, it is still a small incentive.  It is more about increasing accessibility.

Hopefully it will prove successful with “new recyclers” appearing and consequently the system is rolled out in other areas.