Published by robonline on Mon, 12/05/2011 - 20:15
Dorset local authorities group named Winner of the ‘BAMA Can Do Awards’ and receive changeable graphic system as prize, donated by EPIC Media Group
The Best Aerosol Recycling Communication Campaign in 2011
The British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA) has announced Dorset Local authorities the winner of ‘The Can Do Awards 2011’ for running the best recycling communication campaign that includes empty aerosols.
Dorset local authorities comprise a partnership between Dorset Waste Partnership, Bournemouth Borough Council, Borough of Poole, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council and West Dorset District Council. BAMA is the leading trade association for the aerosols sector and the Can Do Awards, now in their 3rd year, celebrate and reward local authorities who show exemplary practice in communicating to householders the benefits of recycling aerosols.
The presentation was made in Christchurch by Director of BAMA Sue Rogers where representatives from each of the five partnership Councils were present. The Dorset Local authorities were awarded the covetable prize of a changeable graphic display system for a recycling vehicle, donated by BAMA’s prize sponsor, Epic Media Group. This will provide one customised graphic which will act as an advertisement on a vehicle for a three year period, as well as an engraved trophy and a framed certificate.
This year, BAMA awarded two Highly Commended awards one to Scarborough Borough Council and the other to Epping Forest District Council. The Can Do Awards form part of a long-term and highly successful campaign initiated by BAMA. Since 2001 the proportion of local authorities which include empty aerosols for recycling has significantly improved, from approximately 7 per cent to 83 per cent now.
Sue Rogers, Director of BAMA, explains: “We have been searching for the best local authority recycling campaign that includes empty aerosols for the third year of the ‘Can Do Awards’. Recycling success depends on communicating to local residents and local authorities. The partnership of the Dorset Councils was voted the best by the judges and was thought to be a great example of collaborative work of Councils pooling resources and working together. They demonstrated a good mix of promotional and social media as well as face-to-face contact through a series of road-shows. Their ‘Don’t forget to recycle your Aerosols’ campaign has been well researched and measured, it also highlighted that despite good recycling rates, they achieved more by promoting specific recyclable material such as aerosols.”
“Research shows that many consumers are still not aware that they can recycle their empty aerosols with their other metal recyclables. BAMA’s long-standing campaign has helped encourage over four-fifths of all local authorities to recycle empty aerosols from households. Our aim is to encourage the remaining councils to follow suit. The ‘Can Do Awards’ is a way of highlighting best practice in a really positive way as once an authority has opted to accept empty aerosols for recycling, success depends on communicating this to house-holders.”
She added: “We are immensely grateful to Kevin Murton and his team at Epic Media Group for so generously providing the prize this year. Communicating via messages on recycling vehicles is a powerful means of getting the message across and so this system will further enhance the good work which is already underway in this part of England”.
The campaigns entered for the award could be of any size and in any format, whether in the form of an online video, web-based initiative or printed promotional leaflet or flyer. Entries were judged on educational merit, creativity and reach of the campaign in relation to the budget. Finalist judges were Sue Rogers, Director of BAMA, Kevin Murton, Epic Media and Dave Fergus, Programme Manager – Waste Improvement East.
BAMA continues to encourage and offer practical assistance to local authorities, retailers, waste companies and other interested parties by providing materials, information and guidance on how aerosols, once the consumer has used them up, can be recycled with other metal packaging, successfully reducing the amount of material going to landfill. For further information visit www.bama.co.uk.
For further information on EPIC Media’s changeable graphic system visit www.epicmediagroup.co.uk