Al Infinitum, our campaign aimed at promoting the recycling of aluminium cans among the university public is starting up at Mondragon University with the installation of 3 reverse vending machines.
The initiative arose as a result of a simple observation: although cans are the aluminium containers that generate the least hesitation when it comes to recycling, only 64% of them are deposited in the yellow container (national data).
Cans symbolise a very real problem: we know how to recycle them and why we should do it, but we still don’t take the step because we still have doubts as to whether it is really useful. The idea that “throw it where you throw it, it all goes to the same place” is still deeply rooted and it is precisely this belief that we have decided to combat with the Al Infinitum campaign.
How? By focusing on the industrial process that is set in motion every time we use the yellow bin through an educational video in which companies in the sector explain the phase they are responsible for:
1. Waste collection (reverse revending machines – Reduxo) 2.
2. Recycling (Insertec solutions)
3. Can production (Ball)
4. Closure system production (Egile)
5. Beverage production and canning (Brew & Roll)
This video, in addition to making each stage of aluminium recycling visible, also makes the public understand how important their role is in this process. Putting the can in the correct container is the simplest step, but it is essential for the process to get underway.
One campaign, two objectives
With Al Infinitum, we support the challenge of reaching 70% of cans recycled nationally (current: 64%) and 55% of cans recycled nationally by 2030 (current: 51%). However, this initiative also seeks to provide a solution to the problem of talent recruitment that we have been observing for some years now in the industry in general and in our sector in particular.
Young people have lost interest in technical careers: they rarely consider the industrial environment as a career option. There are many reasons for this situation which, in companies such as ours, is reflected in difficulties in finding profiles and maintaining them over time.
In addition to the actions of dissemination and promotion of recycling, our initiative also contemplates giving talks and conferences in educational centres on the job opportunities that exist in the sector.
For many young people, the industry is incompatible with concepts that are very important to them, such as the circular economy, the environment or civic responsibility… This campaign is an opportunity to show them how our sector is reinventing itself in this regard and to invite them to be part of this change.
Our first intervention in a training centre took place on the 14th of March in the framework of PBLDAY of Mondragon Unibertsitatea (start of our intervention: 03:07:30).
For more info about the project:
alinfinitum.com