Ardagh and URM UK inspire recycling
Published: December 15, 2020
During a primary school visit to Ardagh’s Doncaster production facility in August 2019, as part of a Holiday Hunger initiative, children, parents and staff from the school learned how recycled glass is turned into new containers, and became inspired to recycle their own empty glass bottles and jars.
One enthusiastic parent took to Twitter to ask for a glass recycling bank to be provided on the school premises. A discussion with Ardagh’s Doncaster Plant Director, James Grant, followed, and glass collection company, URM UK Ltd, agreed to put two mixed glass bottle banks in the Parklands Primary school’s grounds, to allow parents and children to recycle their empty glass bottles and jars as part of their daily journey to school.
The banks were installed in November 2019, and eight months later they were almost full. When URM collected the two mixed banks, they gave an estimated combined uplift of 1.12 tonnes of glass which equates to a saving of 650 tonnes of CO₂.
Prior to the banks being installed at the school, local families reported that they did not have easy access to glass recycling. As a result, many families attending the school were previously disposing of their empty glass in their general waste.
Dana Campbell, the Parklands parent who initiated the idea, commented: “We never recycled glass before the bottle banks were installed at Parklands. The nearest glass banks were at a supermarket on the other side of a busy road and as I don’t drive, it was too dangerous to go with three children. Now we save all our empty glass and recycle it. Our kids really love it and it has made glass recycling a natural thing to do. Lots of other families recycle glass now, and the kids are always helping – it’s been a brilliant addition to the community.”
To say thank you for collecting the glass, and successfully diverting over a tonne of glass from landfill, Ardagh is providing the school with a supply of books for their popular Reading Vending Machine.
