NEWS ITEM

Day centre given new vehicle thanks to waste contractor

The Chippenham Aluminium Recycling Service (CARS), based at the Middlefield Day Centre in Chippenham, is the proud owner of a new recycling van which has been donated by The Hills Group.

Run by Wiltshire County Council, Middlefield is a day centre for people with learning disabilities where they take part in a number of activities. In 2003 the team was approached by waste contractor Hills which offered them the opportunity of recycling all the aluminium foil collected in the new kerbside collection boxes across North Wiltshire. The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) provided help in the form of a compacting machine, protective clothing and expert advice.

Now foil recycling has increased to up to four days a week with around 25 people spending some of their time working on the project. Annually around 12 tonnes of foil is processed and sold by the centre and it provides raw material for new car engine cylinder heads.

The much-needed van will be used to ensure that aluminium foil, recycled by Wiltshire households via the kerbside collection scheme, is transported to the Middlefield Centre, where it is sorted and baled, and then sent to Alupro for reprocessing.

Keys to the vehicle were handed to Hazel Matthews, supported employment manager for Wiltshire County Council's department for community services, at a recent ceremony held at the Hills Material Recycling Facility situated near Calne.

Hazel said: "This recycling project has been an opportunity for those individuals who attend Middlefield to participate and contribute to something of real value.

"Recycling is high on everyone's agenda, both in the community and on a global basis. This initiative has promoted a real sense of community involvement for those engaged in and living around the Middlefield area."

The project would not have been successful without the keen recycling of Wiltshire residents through the kerbside recycling system. The black boxes are collected and sorted by Hills as part of their waste management contract with Wiltshire County Council. Aluminium foil is one of the five materials collected through the black box kerbside scheme. Other materials are paper, cans, bottles and jars, and textiles.

"The Hills Group has supported CARS for a considerable time now and with the increase in recycling efforts by residents of Wiltshire we have seen a rise in the volume of foil available for the scheme," said Cliff Carter, recycling promotions manager for Hills.

Recycling aluminium foil and cans saves 95% of the energy used to make new aluminium, thereby saving natural resources as well as reducing litter and waste. In fact, 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in circulation.

Ruth Meeke, programme manager for Alupro, which processes the recycled aluminium, said: "Alupro has supported the CARS recycling project from its inception in 2003. It is an excellent project, made successful by all parties working so well together - the clients at CARS sort and bale the foil to the highest standard. The project has grown year on year to the successful recycling project that it is today."

ENDS

Picture: Rob Escott