First Of Its Kind Recycling Pilot For Petrol Forecourt Sector

The Chartman Group, with the support of recycling programme provider Every Can Counts, has introduced drinks can recycling facilities at its award-winning flagship petrol forecourt as part of a pilot scheme for the forecourt sector.

The pilot is designed to uncover the best ways to implement and communicate drinks can recycling for the sector. As part of this, Every Can Counts and the Chartman Group aims to establish a recycling message that is clear to understand and use, all whilst improving how tidy and attractive the forecourt refuse areas look.

Every Can Counts has already taken steps to work with the group’s current recycling and waste contractor, in addition to providing communications materials such as posters and table talkers for the petrol station to display.

Jonathan Easthope, Every Can Counts Brand Manager, explained: “Recent research has shown that 44 per cent of all drinks cans purchased in the UK are consumed outside of the home, so petrol forecourts are in a strong position to help customers to easily recycle these empty cans on the go and do their bit. This is the first pilot scheme of its kind for the sector, so we are delighted to be working with the Chartman Group and hope to encourage other forecourts to get on-board as a result of this activity.”

Petrol forecourts are a popular place to purchase canned drinks, with research showing 3 per cent of cans purchased in the UK are from petrol stations and service stations. That may not seem like a lot but in actual fact adds up to over 18 million drinks cans purchased in a single week, of which approximately 33 per cent are sent to landfill instead of being recycled.

Jonathan concluded: “From these statistics alone, it is easy to see the potential for can recycling at locations such as petrol forecourts and equally why it’s important that we encourage other operators like Chartman to get involved too.”

Clive Sheppard, Chartman Director, said: “We hope to scale this up to all eight Chartman sites after Christmas, and then in turn, through the Petrol Retailers Association, the whole forecourt industry, thereby making a significant contribution to recycling activity.”

Every Can Counts is funded by the UK’s drinks can manufacturers, recyclers and fillers.  In Scotland the programme receives additional funding from Zero Waste Scotland and soft drinks manufacturer A.G. Barr plc.

The programme aims to increase the number of drinks cans recycled, whether at work or whilst out and about, by providing practical advice and support, including free communication materials and help with finding a recycling collection partner.