Solihull Schoolboy Achieves Remarkable Recycling Milestone for Charity
A dedicated 13-year-old from Solihull has made an extraordinary impact by recycling more than 1.5 million aluminum cans, raising around £18,000 for various charitable organizations. Ryan Hulance, the eco-conscious teenager behind this initiative, devised the scheme as a dual-purpose effort to support foodbanks and protect the environment simultaneously.
From Humble Beginnings to a Thriving Enterprise
Ryan began his recycling mission in 2023, starting with collecting a few hundred cans each week from local businesses near his home in the West Midlands. He stored the cans at his residence, with his parents assisting by flattening them using their vehicle to save space before Ryan bagged them up for processing.
Over time, his efforts scaled up significantly. Last year alone, he amassed eight tonnes of cans, which generated approximately £6,000—roughly 75p per kilogram—donated to a women's charity. Scrap metal dealers typically pay between 20p and 90p per kilogram of aluminum, equivalent to about 65 cans.
Dedication and Expansion of the Initiative
Ryan now collects an impressive 20,000 cans weekly and has even established his own company, We Can CIC (Community Interest Company), to formalize his charitable work. His family, who operate a garage, were provided with an industrial crushing machine that compresses the cans into large metal 'bales,' streamlining the recycling process.
The schoolboy dedicates approximately 20 hours each week to his mission, collecting cans after school and during weekends. He currently works with around 200 regular contributors and aims to consistently recycle one tonne of cans monthly. Despite the demanding schedule, Ryan remains committed to his cause.
Personal Motivation and Community Impact
Ryan shared his thoughts on balancing his recycling work with typical teenage activities, saying, "Sometimes I think I'd rather be playing video games with my friends, because I'm 13 years old. But actually when I think about it more deeply, I really love what I do because I get to help people and families who are in need."
He added, "I came up with the idea because I wanted to help people and the environment at the same time. I came up with recycling cans and it just took off from there."
Family Support and Future Goals
Ryan's mother, Karima, 48, expressed immense pride in her son's achievements and highlighted their aspirations for growth. "We are very proud of Ryan and really want to help him expand," she said. "The cans come from around 200 regular suppliers but we want to broaden that to many thousands. For the last three months we have recycled one tonne per month but we are capable of much much more."
The family hopes their initiative could also assist Birmingham during its recycling crisis, exacerbated by bin workers' industrial action, demonstrating the broader community benefits of Ryan's efforts.
