The EU already recycles 80.5% of its steel containers

Independently verified figures published by Steel for Packaging Europe confirm that 80.5% of steel packaging placed on the market was “actually recycled” in 2022. This follows the announcement in December 2023 that steel packaging had met its EU recycling rate target for 2025, four years. ahead of schedule.

Steel for Packaging Europe, formerly known as APEAL, has confirmed a new record recycling rate for steel packaging, following the harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates within the EU.

Today’s announcement also represents a 2% increase in the 2021 recycling rate and confirms that steel packaging remains the most recycled sales packaging material in Europe, which is testament to its unique properties and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across the value chain to achieve 100%.

Steve Claus, secretary general of Steel for Packaging Europe, said that the increasing recycling rates of steel packaging reflect the industry’s commitment to transparency and demonstrate why steel packaging is so well aligned with the EU’s vision of a circular economy.

Claus added that this figure corresponds to the amount of packaging that is actually recycled at the start of recycling operations and not simply the packaging that is collected.

This harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates creates a level playing field for all packaging materials in Europe,” Claus stresses. “Previously, EU member states used different methods to determine recycling rates for different materials, which resulted in inflated rates and masked the recycling challenges associated with some packaging formats.

The announcement follows the formal adoption of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) voted by the European Parliament (EP), which includes a number of stricter recyclability measures.

The secretary general of Steel for Packaging Europe is pleased that the new PPWR includes the establishment of design criteria for recycling, applicable to all packaging, and the introduction of a performance rating system with clear criteria.

“The three grades of recyclability percentages defined – A, B, C (%/80%) to meet by 2030 and two – A, B (%/80%) by 2038, will ultimately drive any material that is less than 80% recyclable from the market. Steel packaging, with all formats rated A or B, demonstrates superior performance compared to other materials such as plastics and laminated cartons.”

As PPWR implementation and secondary legislation take center stage in the coming months, Steel for Packaging Europe urges all EU institutions to maintain high levels of ambition to collectively build a greener and more circular future in Europe.