Local Recyclers Help Grow 55,000 Trees in Africa

12.00.00am GMT Tue 9th Jan 2007

John Leech MP wants more people to get the recycling habit - and help tackle climate change

John Leech, Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, recently met Madame Kadidiatou Yonli, wife of the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, at a reception at the House of Commons to announce that 55,089 new trees are to be grown in Africa - thanks to the efforts of local recyclers.

Manchester City Council are among 300 local authorities which took part in a campaign run by not-for-profit organisation Alupro which aimed to persuade more people to get the recycling habit - and help tackle climate change. The promise was to grow a tree in the UK or Africa for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil recycled over the past 18 months.

The initiative has proved a big success, boosting aluminium recycling performance by a massive 32% to 65,818 tonnes. The detailed results from local authority reported figures mean that 10,729 trees will be grown in the UK later this winter, as well as the 55,089 trees donated to Africa.

The tree programme in Burkina Faso is being run with Bristol-based charity Tree Aid, with all tree species chosen for their food and medicinal uses: mango, cashew, baobab and acacia. Sub-Saharan Africa is acutely affected by climate change, with trees dying earlier, and drought often causing food shortages, so replacing trees is important to prevent soil erosion as well as to provide food and shelter.

Madame Yonli thanked recyclers in Manchester for their support: "Trees play an important role in the health and well-being of people in my country, and we are very happy that you are able to help us while at the same time helping the whole environment."

John Leech MP added:

"This is an excellent result for everyone, but there's more to be done to get the message home that throwing away aluminium drinks cans and foil when they can be recycled with a 95% saving in energy and emissions - and now grow trees as well - is just not acceptable. With so much to gain, we must all keep recycling !"

Full details at www.alupro.org.uk. The trees have been donated by metal recycling company, Sims Group UK: www.sims-group.com

The 'Trees for the UK/Trees for Africa' initiative uses official Government figures to determine the exact number of tonnes recycled in the UK between April 2005 and September 2006. The figure of 65,818 aluminium packaging tonnes recycled means that 65,818 trees will be planted: 10,729 claimed by registered local authorities for local planting later this winter, and 55,089 donated to Africa.

Alupro is a not for profit organisation sponsored by the aluminium packaging producer and reprocessor companies to ensure that recycling targets are met. Alupro works on practical programmes and educational initiatives with collection partners, and also represents the industry to Government.

Tree Aid supports some of the world's poorest people living in rural Africa to become self-reliant through forest-management projects. www.treeaid.org.uk