Increase in European steel packaging recycling

Archiv – According to the Association of European steel packaging producers (APEAL), steel packaging is being recycled in ever increasing volumes in Europe. The 2 million tonne mark was exceeded in 2002, representing 8% growth in collected and recycled volumes compared to the previous year.According to the Association of European steel packaging producers (APEAL), steel packaging is being recycled in ever increasing volumes in Europe. The 2 million tonne mark was exceeded in 2002, representing 8% growth in collected and recycled volumes compared to the previous year.
This means that the steel packaging industry has now reached the voluntary objective of 60% set for 2005. In terms of meeting legal requirements, steel significantly contributes to reaching the EU recycling target for metal packaging (steel and aluminium) which the EU Packaging Directive sets at 50% by the year 2008.
Belgium continues to lead the EU steel packaging recycling league table on 93%, followed by a group of countries with recycling rates between 70 and 80%, including Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and Luxembourg. Norway is around the European average on 60%, followed by France (57%), Italy (55%), and Spain and Ireland (both on 51%). The U.K. rate of 42% represents an increase of five percentage points over 2001; Finland comes next on 39% while Portugal failed to improve on its 2001 rate of 28%, although it has already exceeded the minimum recycling rate (15%) which it had to reach by law before the end of 2005.
Growth in steel packaging recycling is likely to level off over the next few years given the very high rates already reached in most European countries. However, future prospects in Europe remain bright, not least because steel lends itself to automatic extraction by electro-magnet at sorting centres, composting centres or in household waste incinerators. Expansion of selective collection systems in Europe and an increased need for waste incineration capacity as an alternative to landfill have served to boost recycling, with recycled volumes having tripled within a decade. Limitations to growth in the recycling of steel packaging are essentially linked to lack of collection infrastructure, whereas recycling outlets are guaranteed since recovered steel is an essential ingredient in the production of new steel products.
Increased recycling of steel packaging improves the material’s environmental profile and contributes towards sustainable use of resources through the saving of raw materials and the resulting energy. For example, as much as 3 million tonnes of iron ore and 1.4 million tonnes of coal did not have to be extracted in 2002 thanks to the recycling of steel packaging in Europe, it is estimated.
APEAL represents more than 90% of total European steel packaging production. Its members include Arcelor Packaging International, Corus Packaging Plus and Rasselstein Hoesch.