ZERO STEEL PACKAGING IN LANDFILLS

The Association of European Packaging Steel Producers, APEAL, has recently announced its 2025 vision for recycling: “Zero steel packaging in landfill”, a clear vision with an optimisation approach and clear instructions.

Alexis Van Maercke, secretary general of the association, has mentioned on the occasion of this vision that the four key areas of action to be taken to achieve it, “will include a focus on the optimization of separate waste collection, the establishment of a quality standard for scrap metal, the collection and sorting of steel closures and design for recyclability”.

Van Maercke points out that to maintain quality in steel for the scrap packaging value chain, “quality control must start when the material is in the sorting facility. This can only be achieved by setting a quality standard for the packaging of steel scrap”.

But, one of the most critical steps is often related to the collection and sorting rates of the material for recycling. Europe does not escape from this; although it currently has a high recycling average: 82.5% of all steel packaging is recycled, the end consumer puts steel closures in the wrong container. This must then be accompanied by an education campaign and clear instructions on how to sort the material if the steel is not to end up in landfill sites.

For the efficient sorting of products to be recycled, APEAL points out that design for recyclability plays a very important role.

“Ultimately, steel packaging is a valuable resource that cannot be wasted if we are to achieve the goals of the European Green Pact. APEAL will continue to work with colleagues, the European Commission, the European Parliament, Member States and all stakeholders to achieve the shared ambition of a truly circular economy,” said its Secretary General.

A new APEAL report, ‘Why Steel Recycles Forever: How to collect, sort and recycle packaging steel’, designed to help stakeholders along the value chain work collaboratively to achieve Vision 2025, will be published in December 2021.