BRIXHAM WOMAN REWARDED FOR 20 YEARS OF CAN COLLECTING
Brixham resident Mrs. Enid Trott is a real recycling champion. Her recycling achievements stretch back over 20 years, during which time she’s recycled over 10 tonnes of aluminium cans.
Brixham resident Mrs. Enid Trott is a real recycling champion. Her recycling achievements stretch back over 20 years, during which time she’s recycled over 10 tonnes of aluminium cans and raised much-needed cash for charities and local good causes in the process.
Charities which have benefited recently include Greyhound Rescue and Newton Abbott based Animals in Distress.
As well as collecting the aluminium cans she finds during her walks with her own rescue greyhound, Mrs Trott also collects from pubs, clubs and restaurants in the Torbay area. Local residents also bring cans to her home.
Once collected the cans are exchanged for cash at local ‘Think Cans’ centre Glanvile Metals in Torquay. Each kilogramme (approximately 65 cans) is worth around 50p.
Not only have Mrs Trott’s efforts raised funds for charities but she also recently captured first prize in a draw run by Glanvile Metals in association with Novelis, the world’s leading recycler of aluminium drink cans. The draw, for collectors around the UK cashing in over 200kg of cans in the first six months of 2010, saw Mrs Trott win first prize of £50 in High Street vouchers.
Commenting on her ‘can-tastic’ achievement Mrs. Trott said, “Recycling aluminium cans is part of my daily routine. It is something I’ve done for years; I simply combine exercising the dog with picking up any aluminium cans that are lying around. Apart from the cash I raise for good causes it’s good to know that I am also helping the environment – it’s such a waste to throw these cans away when you can earn money by recycling them.”
Presenting her with her prize, Terry Marks of Novelis Recycling congratulated Mrs. Trott on her impressive recycling achievements and said, “Mrs Trott’s efforts prove that recycling aluminium drink cans makes sound financial sense. Over 6 billion aluminium drink cans are sold in the UK every year, and these could all be exchanged for cash, which would raise substantial funds for individuals, charities and good causes – it adds up to a great way to raise funds without having to ask for donations.”
He continued: “The environmental benefits are equally impressive: The recycling process saves 95% of the energy needed to make aluminium from its raw materials. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and eases pressure on landfill. In fact the energy saved by recycling one aluminium drink can would run a TV set for three hours! “
Novelis operates Europe’s largest dedicated aluminium can recycling plant in Warrington, Cheshire. Here the cans Mrs Trott and others collect are melted down to form ingots which are used in the manufacture of new drink cans. It can take as little as 60 days for a used can to be recycled, remade and resold.
