New can crushers launched in Scotland

Drinks can recycling programme Every Can Counts has launched five new can crushers around shopping, commuting and academic sites in Scotland.


The drinks can crushers will be unveiled at Stirling’s Thistles Shopping Centre, Falkirk Bus Station, Queen Margaret University, Dundee College and Elgin Academy and is part of Zero Waste Scotland’s work to ensure aluminium and steel can be recycled.

The new can crushers are designed to crush and hold up to 700 aluminium and steel drinks cans at a time – five times more than a conventional recycling container.

From January 1 2014, businesses in Scotland will be required to separate all of their waste – including metals – for recycling.

Zero Waste Scotland and Every Can Counts are funding the six-month trial to help make it easier for people to recycle their drinks cans ‘on the go’.

Every Can Counts programme manager Andrew McFarlan said: “Our new initiative marks an exciting new phase in the Every Can Counts programme, which launched 12 months ago. Already we have 250 businesses using the programme to encourage staff and customers to recycle and now we have the opportunity to encourage people to recycle when they are out and about.”

Queen Margaret University facilities manager Steve Nicholls said: “Sustainability is at the very core of our vision and is in line with our commitment to the environment, so the can crusher initiative is the ideal opportunity to complement the waste separation programme that we already have in place.

“The new initiative is a great fun way of engaging students and staff, as well as helping us all separate aluminium cans from general waste. It helps to further strengthen our total commitment to developing QMU as a sustainable university.”

Liz Gyekye

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