Islanders have been rewarded for their recycling efforts after an appeal by Haylands Farm and Island Waste Services to recycle all their aluminium cans, by planting an apple tree as a thank you for their efforts. The Tree will have a special significance as the tree will be planted at Haylands Farm in remembrance of a client, Mark Luter, who has sadly recently passed away.

The appeal was as a result of Haylands Farm helping the Isle of Wight Council and Island Waste Services back a recycling scheme which promises to grow a fruit tree in Malawi for every tonne of aluminium drinks cans and foil recycled over the next two years, so the more aluminium cans recycled, the more trees will be grown. The campaign is halfway through and so far through the recycling efforts of all residents, 46 fruit trees have been donated to the project in Malawi so far!

The initiative called ‘Recycle for Africa’ is being run by not for profit organisation Alupro in partnership with British charity Ripple Africa, in a bid to tackle de-forestation, improve nutrition and establish new businesses for fruit drying and juicing.

Charles Cook from Haylands Farm commented, “We are delighted that residents have got behind the campaign as each aluminium can counts to helping this worthy project, but also helping support Haylands Farm as we turn the aluminium cans into cash, which helps us maintain the farm and the projects we run. The apple tree will be a permanent reminder of Mark, a client who attended the farm for over 30 years”.

All of the cans deposited in the islands can banks, are collected and recycled by Hayland’s Farm and sold to Island Waste Services and have the support of Isle of Wight Council. Annually over half a million cans are recycled though this route.

The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) is a not for profit organisation sponsored by the leading aluminium packaging producer, reprocessor and exporter companies. www.alupro.org.uk