Growth in recycling of steel packaging

Archiv – According to latest figures from the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL), last year saw a 1.3% increase in the recycling of all types of steel packaging such as beverage, food and aerosols cans. Just over 2.1 million tonnes was recycled last year to give a Europe-wide rate of 61%. Belgium | According to latest figures from the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL), last year saw a 1.3% increase in the recycling of all types of steel packaging such as beverage, food and aerosols cans. Just over 2.1 million tonnes was recycled last year to give a Europe-wide rate of 61%.
Further recycling growth is anticipated both in the EU-15 as well as in the 10 new member states. APEAL forecasts that, by the end of 2008, recycling of steel packaging in the EU-15 will be approaching 70%, with average annual growth put at 3.4%.
Two key factors will underpin this growth, according to the experts. Firstly, the progressive adoption into national law of the Landfill Directive will lead to a ban on dumping unprocessed waste. This will accelerate the development of Europe’s household waste sorting and recovery infrastructure and lead to increased recycling, as well as to an expansion of municipal solid waste incineration capacity. Steel is removed by magnets either prior to or following the incineration process.
Secondly, the 50% joint recycling target for steel and aluminium enshrined in the Packaging Directive will have to be reached in 12 of the EU-15 member states by 2008, and by 2011 in Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and Greece. This should further boost the development of separate collection schemes in the EU.
Although collection and recycling of packaging in most of the EU’€™s 10 new member states remains in its infancy, APEAL is confident that steel packaging recycling will take off in the years to come. As in Western Europe, collection of industrial steel packaging – such as drums and steel strapping – is already well organised with recycling rates generally averaging above 80%.
The European steel packaging industry supports recycling through a take-back guarantee. It also actively promotes the recycling of post-consumer steel packaging and adoption by end consumers of an ethical stance on packaging disposal through support of national campaigns.
APEAL represents 92% of total steel packaging production in Europe. Its members include Arcelor Packaging International, Corus Packaging Plus, Rasselstein and US Steel Kosice.