The Municipal Council of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, under the guidance of Carlos Tarife in the Environmental Sustainability department, is once again teaming up with the global environmental awareness programme “Every can counts”. This initiative aims to encourage recycling on beaches during the Easter season. Through the campaign “Your Can in Yellow”, efforts are being made to educate people about the significance of recycling cans and packaging on the beach and during leisure activities.
The Mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, emphasises the importance of promoting recycling at this time, mentioning that it is a simple action that can have immeasurable benefits for the planet. He urges everyone to make a small effort towards sustainability and conservation of natural resources.
The Sustainable and Green Canary Islands Association has partnered once again to support this campaign on the island. Carlos Tarife, the Councillor for Public Services and Environmental Sustainability, emphasises the commitment to environmental preservation throughout the year by organising such initiatives. He stresses that every action counts and highlights the importance of maintaining coastal areas in optimal conditions, while educating future generations on environmental conservation.
Gladis de León, councillor of the Anaga district, stresses the continuous need for recycling, especially with the upcoming warm weather drawing more people to Santa Cruz’s beaches. She points out the significance of waste separation in preserving the environment.
From March 28 to 31, environmental educators equipped with can-collecting backpacks will be present at Las Teresitas beach, the El Block bathing area, and the newly opened Los Charcos bathing area in Valleseco. These educators will raise awareness about recycling to care for the environment and promote sustainable and clean tourism.
As part of the campaign, surveys will be conducted with beachgoers to assess their recycling habits and aid the City Council in waste management in public areas. In 2023, a survey revealed that while 76% were aware that cans should be recycled in the yellow container, 30% had difficulty locating recycling bins on the beach. Efforts this year will focus on helping the 24% who are unaware of where to recycle cans by providing information and facilities for waste separation.
“Our objective is to ensure that 100% of beverage cans are recycled, stressing the importance of depositing them in the yellow container, even at the beach. Each recycled can helps save resources and reduces carbon emissions, thereby combatting climate change,” explains Pablo García, director of Every Can Count in Spain and a Doctor in Ecology.
About Every Can Counts
The Every Can Counts Foundation is an international initiative that promotes the recycling of beverage cans at events and public spaces. Established in the UK in 2009 and in Spain in 2015, this programme operates in 18 countries. Every Can Counts aims to engage citizens in achieving a 100% recycling rate for beverage cans, which can be infinitely recycled without quality loss due to their metal composition.
To achieve this, the programme collaborates with companies, organisations, and entities to install systems for collecting beverage cans in public locations. Their work in raising awareness and promoting sustainability earned them the Best Service Provider award at the 5th Iberian Festival Awards.
