With more than 300 million tonnes of plastic packaging produced each year but just 21 per cent recycled, anglers have been given a great opportunity to help the environment thanks to a partnership between the Anglers National Line Recycling Scheme (ANLRS) and carp tackle brand Aptus.

In an industry first, the forward-thinking company has teamed up with the ANLRS to offer all its customers a postage-paid route to return old line, braid and other smaller plastic tackle items that would otherwise often end up in landfill to them so that they can be recycled.

Aptus customers with an online account can download a pre-paid label from its website when placing an order and use this to send old line, small plastic tackle items and even the single use packaging (SUP) that so many companies supply tackle items in.

The company is encouraging their customers to use the sustainable packaging their order is delivered in to return these plastic items for recycling, whether sold by Aptus or any other supplier.

The freepost label can be attached to any package up to 350mm x 250mm x 25mm (Royal Mail Large Letter) and weigh up to 250g and then dropped in a post box.

Once returned to the ANLRS the items will be sorted as required and everything, including the packaging, will be sent to be recycled via ReWorked, who currently take all the line and plastic spools collected by the ANLRS.

Aptus MD Jack Sherrin said: “We want to create real solutions to the biggest threats our waters face. One of those is plastic pollution, including fishing line, tackle items and packaging.

“We believe the onus for environmental responsibility – including providing customers with access to recycling – lies with us as the manufacturer, so we’ve made recycling plastic tackle waste as easy and accessible to our customers as possible.

ANLRS co-founder Viv Shears added: “When Jack got in contact with his idea it felt like a landmark moment for not only anglers but also the tackle industry. The amount of plastics used for packaging in the angling industry is huge and creating a route to ensure some of this is recycled is a brilliant first step in the need to minimise the impact of plastics from angling activities including tackle purchases.

“We would like to think other companies would follow suit in supporting us with similar schemes as well as financially. After all, when it comes to environmental issues like plastics, it is not a case of being the innovator or having exclusive rights to a solution, it is about everyone doing as much as is possible on their part to help reduce the problem. A joined-up industry wide approach will make a far bigger difference and achieve greater results in the long term so our doors are open should anyone want to talk.”

In addition to the Return to Recycle scheme, Aptus has also pledged an annual donation to the ANLRS to make line and plastic recycling easy for both freshwater and saltwater anglers.

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