Bath & North East Somerset Council joins national aerosol recycling initiative

Bath & North East Somerset Council has announced its participation in a nationwide project aimed at boosting the recycling rate of post-consumer aerosols. The initiative is funded by Alupro through the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative (UKARI) and delivered in partnership with Suez recycling and recovery UK (SUEZ).

As part of a four-phase programme, detailed kerbside waste composition data has been gathered from households across the area. This includes measuring how many aerosol containers are captured, sorted and recycled, establishing a clear baseline of current performance.

With the baseline complete, the project has now moved into the communications phase. A targeted outreach campaign has been launched to enhance resident awareness and encourage positive recycling habits. Additional sampling will follow to measure the immediate effects of this engagement, and a further audit will take place in six months to assess longer-term impact.

Findings from the Bath & North East Somerset trial will be combined with insights from several other local authority studies carried out earlier this year. Together, these results will help assess the real-world influence of communications on recycling behaviour and build a more accurate picture of residual waste across the UK.

Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro, said: “We’re delighted that Bath & North East Somerset Council is taking part in our initiative to better understand collection volumes and the power of communications in encouraging positive change. The results will help shape national thinking on how to increase aerosol recycling rates.”

Tom Merry, Commercialisation & Innovations Manager at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, added: “With new EPR legislation expected to require 50% of aluminium packaging (excluding beverage cans) to be collected for recycling, maximising aerosol recycling is vital. Establishing a robust baseline and raising public awareness are key steps, and we’re pleased to collaborate with Alupro to help share best practice across the sector.”

Councillor Mark Elliott, Cabinet Member for Resources at Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “We’re proud to be one of four local authorities taking part in this project. Our recycling rate has already reached an impressive 60% in 2024/25, and by working with Alupro and SUEZ to provide residents with clear guidance on aerosol recycling, we hope to see even more empty aerosols placed in green household recycling boxes.”