Every Can Counts announces national recycling award winners

Every Can Counts (ECC), Redditch, United Kingdom, a nonprofit organization working to encourage people to recycle their drink cans, has announced Crewe Clean Team, Bodega 51 and Haileybury School as the winners of its Green Can Award.  

Crewe Clean Team, Crewe, U.K., is a local group of 200 volunteers who participate in community litter pickups throughout Crewe and the surrounding area. Over the last decade, they have recycled more than 200,000 drink cans, ECC says.  

“I couldn’t have predicted the scale of the scheme now when we set out 10 years ago, but it really has taken off,” David McDonald, chair of Crewe Clean Team, says. “Over two hundred volunteers make up Crewe Clean Team, so it really is a joint effort, and we’re all thrilled with the award. Everyone is so proud of what we’ve accomplished to date, but there is always more work to be done, and we’re keen to welcome new faces.” 

Bodega 51, a Rochester, U.K. bar, has recycled every can consumed on-site since opening in May 2022. ECC says. Subsequently, more than 25,000 cans have been recycled and sold to a local scrap metal facility to raise money for Mind, a mental health charity. Bodega also encourages its employees and local businesses to drop off clean and crushed aluminum cans for recycling.  

“We’re thrilled to receive this award and be recognized for our commitment to recycling,” Kayea Shome, owner of Bodega 51, says. “Being Kent’s first can bar, recycling is hugely important to us, and we’re glad to be able to use our recycling initiative to also give something back to the community by raising money for charity. The more people who can get involved, the better!” 

Haileybury School, a day and boarding school in Hertford, U.K., has received a Green Can Award for installing 30 aluminum recycling boxes in common areas around the school and in each of the 12 boarding houses. In recognition of its efforts, the school’s Sustainability Committee was rewarded with a workshop led by Casting Innovations, a recycling-themed crafting project. During the workshop, students learned about the infinite recyclability of aluminum and the melting process and were able to make their own keyring out of recycled aluminum, ECC says. 

“We feel very fortunate to have so many motivated pupils and committed staff to help push the sustainability strategy of the school, of which one aspect is recycling,” Simon Heard, deputy master and sustainability lead at Haileybury School, says. “It is fantastic, therefore, to team up with a company such as Every Can Counts. To win an award on top of this was very special and we are very proud of the pupils’ achievements.”   

Since ECC launched the awards program in 2014, a total of 28 schools, community groups and other organizations have been commended.  

 “We’re very excited to announce this year’s winners of our Green Can Award scheme and are very grateful to Crewe Clean Team, Bodega 51 and Haileybury for their amazing recycling efforts,” ECC Program Manager Chris Latham-Warde says. “Together, they have recycled more than 225,000 cans, and, considering each and every one of these cans can be recycled and back on a shop shelf in just 60 days, their activities have made a significant difference. We hope the ongoing efforts of this year’s winners will inspire other businesses, community groups and schools across the U.K. to get involved and do their bit to keep the cycle going.”