Tata Steel celebrates Recycle Week by joining the UK’s Aerosol Recycling Initiative

Tata Steel, one of the world’s largest steel producers and one of the UK’s leading steel reprocessors, has become the latest company to join the UK’s Aerosol Recycling Initiative and as part of National Recycling Week, which runs from October 16-22. The multinational is thus expanding its educational program to help raise awareness of the multiple benefits of aerosol recycling.

Steel aerosols are easily captured for recycling through existing recycling schemes in the UK: curbside, magnetic extraction and even after waste incineration. “We all use metal aerosol cans in the home, and they are widely used by businesses such as hairdressers and retailers. However, there is a clear gap in consumer awareness of the recycling potential of metal aerosol cans and separating them for recycling at home is still not as instinctive as it is for most other forms of packaging”said Nicola Jones, manager of Steel Container Recycling.

In this regard Jones added that. “Tata Steel is joining the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative to help reduce that knowledge gap and help further increase metal recycling rates.” . Launched by Alupro in fall 2022, the campaign’s key priorities are closely aligned with Tata Steel’s own recycling education activities, which include encouraging and measuring recycling performance, ensuring consistency in public messaging on metal packaging recycling, and driving targeted consumer education on good household recycling practices.
Other members of the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative were the British Aerosol Manufacturers Association and steel packaging manufacturers, Trivium Packaging. This initiative also aims to promote the recycling and viability of metal aerosols in a post-extended producer responsibility (EPR) and deposit return system environment.

And Tata Steel is seeing increased interest in aerosol steel. Historically, steel aerosol cans are welded; now, however, Tata Steel’s high quality steel grades and canmaking know-how have made possible a non-welded aerosol can in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The Protact two-piece aerosol can, manufactured by DS Containers in a combined DRD and D&I can manufacturing process, for example, combines value and product integrity, giving brands the opportunity to create a premium package with broad consumer appeal.

Seamless and with polymer corrosion protection, Protact offers many possibilities for high-quality decoration and facilitates a lean production process for aerosol can manufacturers. Two-piece tinplate aerosols manufactured by a D&I process are already on the market.
“Our contribution to a non-welded supply, interest in steel products that offer greater forming opportunities, plus steel’s exemplary recycling credentials, make now the perfect time to join this recycling initiative. Our ultimate goal is to maximize the collection and recycling of steel, and the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative will contribute significantly to this.”Jones added.

Tata Steel Group has been named one of the world’s most ethical companies and is among the world’s leading steel companies, with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tons. Tata Steel in the United Kingdom has set a target to produce steel with zero net emissions by 2045 as well as to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030.

Tata Steel is the UK’s largest steelmaker, with primary steelmaking in Port Talbot, South Wales, supporting manufacturing and distribution operations at sites in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, as well as in Norway, Sweden, France and Germany. It also benefits from a network of international sales offices around the world.

It currently employs more than 8,000 workers and has an annual crude steel capacity of 5 million tons, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering. As a result, Tata Steel Group is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence around the world, recording a turnover of $32.83 billion last year.