Drink can recycling campaign Every Can Counts has today been unveiled as the 2018 Recycling Partner for the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and the OVO Energy Tour Series.

The campaign, run by Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), is committed to encouraging those who participate in competitive and recreational cycling in the UK and Europe, to recycle their drinks cans when they are out and about. It is working with SweetSpot Group, the organisation behind both the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and OVO Energy Tour Series, to help provide its audience with an environmentally friendly outlook.

With 47% of cans being drunk ‘on the go’ and outside of the home; both the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and OVO Energy Tour Series provide an opportunity for the recycling campaign to encourage and educate the general public, cyclists and cycling fans, on recycling their aluminium goods.

Rick Hindley, Executive Director of Alupro, said: “We are increasingly aware that recycling packaging is something simple we can all do to help protect the environment. Collectively the women’s stage race and the event series attracted over half a million visitors in 2017 and with higher audience figures expected this year; it gives us a great platform to shout about the benefits of recycling aluminium packaging and the Every Can Counts programme.

“If every person who attended these events last year recycled just one aluminium can, then that would see a reduction of 72 tonnes in CO2 which is the equivalent to a car driving 347,618 kilometres. To put that into perspective – that’s like driving the total distance of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour (678km over five stages) 513 times over.

“As cycling fans, we are delighted to be involved with such globally recognised sporting events and look forward to working alongside the SweetSpot Group while watching the racing unfold throughout the summer months.”

Heath Harvey, CEO of SweetSpot, added: “The environmental benefits of both cycling and recycling need little explanation, so it makes perfect sense for the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and OVO Energy Tour Series to partner with Every Can Counts.

“We’re looking forward to working with Every Can Counts to promote the invaluable messages of their campaign; we hope that our enthusiastic racegoers will embrace their collective aims and do their bit to help the environment.”

[fvplayer src=”https://youtu.be/UB_o-5Qj5WM” splash=”http://d2cx26qpfwuhvu.cloudfront.net/women-tour/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18113658/20180418-WT-ECC-Video-Thumb.jpg”]
The Every Can Counts Recycle Race Game in action at last year’s OVO Energy Tour Series Wembley Park round.

In addition to branding and drinks cans recycling point set-ups at each stage of the OVO Energy Women’s Tour and the OVO Energy Tour Series – the Every Can Counts team will be attending the following events with their Recycle Race Game:

  • Thursday 10 May – OVO Energy Tour Series Round One (Redditch)
  • Saturday 26 May – OVO Energy Tour Series Round Five (Aberystwyth)
  • Monday 28 May – OVO Energy Tour Series Round Six (Stevenage)
  • Tuesday 29 May – OVO Energy Tour Series Round Seven (Wembley Park)
  • Friday 15 June – OVO Energy Women’s Tour Finish Stage Three (Royal Leamington Spa)
  • Saturday 16 June – OVO Energy Women’s Tour Finish Stage Four (Worcester)

The campaign is also supporting the Trek-Drops professional cycling team for the coming year and there will be opportunities to meet the team and win a number of prizes at the Every Can Counts stand at the above events.