The steel packaging sector in the EU recycled 84pc of its scrap in 2019, growing at a rate of 1.5pc from 2018, a report by the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL) said.
According to the report, the recycling rate has grown at a steady pace of 1.5-2pc each year. In comparison, this sector recycled around 75pc of its scrap in 2015. The top 5 recyclers in the EU–Belgium (98.9pc), Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and France now average above 93pc in their respective steel packaging recycling rates. In the EU, used aluminum beverage cans are recycled at a rate of 73pc.
APEAL estimates that 58pc of all steel packaging being produced today is made of recycled material. Easy sorting with magnets and better separation at the collection stage is considered the reason for the efficient recycling rate. The Association is aiming to reach a 100pc rate of ‘Zero steel packaging in landfills’ by 2025 through the improvement of sorting systems, separating waste collection, and designing for better recyclability.