Backed by WRAP and Alupro, the Every Can Counts drinks can recycling programme has announced the winners in its consumer-focused initiative, Creative ExtravaCANza.
Launched in the UK in June, the competition challenged participating consumers to turn their empty beverage cans into artistic creations, decorative or practical, for a chance to win a top prize of £1000 worth of vouchers, plus a year’s supply of their favourite soft drink.
The competition was set up by Every Can Counts, the recycling programme that encourages people recycle the drinks cans they use when they are away from home at work, college, events such as music festivals, at shopping centres or tourist attractions.
Diana Caldwell, from Every Can Counts comments: “We were thrilled by the variety, high level of creativity and great skill evident in all the ExtravaCANza entries.
“This competition has been a fun way to get people to look at the drinks can in a different light, and hopefully help them to recognise that the can is a valuable, sustainable resource.”
The winner of the competition, Canned Flower, was made by offshore ship engineer David Pearson, who created a flower using drinks cans he found in the dustbins of the vessel he was working on at the time.
Of the 9.4 billion drinks cans sold in the UK each year, 30% are consumed outside the home.
There are over 5,000 Every Can Counts-branded collection points at over 1,900 individual UK sites, and in 2011 the programme helped recycle over 51 million drinks cans.
“Every part of every drinks can is 100% recyclable and infinitely so without loss of quality,” affirms Caldwell. “And making cans from recycled metal cuts carbon emissions by up to 95%.”
Every Can Counts is a partnership between the European and UK drinks can manufacturers and the aluminium and steel packaging and recycling industries, and leading energy drink brand Red Bull UK.
ExtravaCANza competition winner, 'Canned Flower'
