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Issue #11, September 2015

Editorial

The movement towards a circular economy in Europe is gaining momentum with ever-increasing pressure to table a new Circular Economy package proposal by the end of the year. As the EU forges its new path, we have made a series of announcements that highlight steel for packaging’s status as the ideal material in a truly circular economy.

As recycling rates for other packaging materials have stagnated, we confirmed 2013 as the best year ever for steel packaging recycling with an average European (EU27) recycling rate of 75%.

As MEP’s call for a more life cycle approach to the Circular Economy Package, we release our latest Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) dataset for tinplate demonstrating continuous improvement across the board in reducing environmental footprint of tinplate.

As Europe looks to boost resource efficiency, we host our second “Green Solutions for Central Europe” summit in Poland on 8th October to present strategies, exchange ideas and communicate a vision for the future of steel as a sustainable packaging solution in a circular economic system.

Read more below, visit our new look website, and enjoy!

Patricia Mobbs, Editor

Inside Brussels - Alexander Mohr on steel for packaging in European policy discussions
Alexander-Mohr

Over the summer months the European Commission conducted a public consultation in view of tabling a new Circular Economy Package proposal by the end of the year. This new proposal will look not only at end-of-life but also at product policy and eco-design, in order to make “a more ambitious” proposal.

At the same time the European Parliament voted at the beginning of July a so-called “own initiative” report on resource efficiency, which tackles questions on circular economy such as legally binding targets for waste and packaging and which will serve as the basis for negotiations in the upcoming discussions with the European Commission.

We at APEAL have always advocated the higher recycling targets set within the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), one of the six bills contained within the Circular Economy Package. APEAL is confident that our industry is well placed to meet any requirements for higher recycling – steel packaging is a perfect example for a circular economy and provides a model which should be emulated by other materials.

Our industry has set an internal objective to reach 80% steel recycling by 2020 and zero steel packaging sent to landfill. These are ambitious targets that will no doubt match or even exceed those set by the new Package.

Whatever the steps taken by the EU Commission it must ensure that long-term sustainability policies that benefit and drive improvements for all packaging materials are at the heart of their decisions.

thumb-frans-timmermans

“We need to increase recyclability of products, but also make sure that they are actually recycled - a value-chain approach”

EU Vice-President Frans Timmermans, July 2015

Full transparency of the sustainability of tinplate with new LCI dataset now available on ILCD website

Our latest tinplate Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) data has been quality-reviewed and is now accessible from the International Reference Life Cycle Database (ILCD).

The latest study conducted in 2014, evaluates the European production of tinplate in a cradle to gate analysis and is composed of data from 2012-2013. It covers all production steps from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing of the coil.

Inclusion of the dataset on the ILCD, the International Platform in Life Cycle Assessment launched by the European Commission in 2014, confirms APEAL’s data as the European reference dataset for tinplate and the only one to be used for relevant and up to date studies.

“Life cycle thinking is vital for the future and for moving towards a circular economy”, said Alexander Mohr.

“We have been clear and transparent about the complete environmental profile of tinplate packaging since 2006. We want our customers, and all our stakeholders, to have the full picture so that they can make informed and sustainable choices about packaging.”

The results of the LCI study show that the steel for packaging industry has made continuous improvements in environmental performance since 2006: CO2 emissions from tinplate production have decreased by 12%, and primary energy demand has dropped by 2%. The additional impact of steel’s Europe-leading recycling rate is also clearly shown within the environmental profile.

By taking into account a 74% recycling rate for steel packaging (the recycling rate in 2012), primary energy demand is reduced from 28.9MJ to just 19.7MJ, meaning over 30% saving from using scrap instead of primary resources. Emissions are also reduced by 46%, from 2.27 kg to just 1.23kg.

The study was undertaken in accordance with the international standards for life cycle assessment ISO 14040/44 and the Worldsteel LCA methodology.

Details of the APEAL tinplate LCA including the link to the dataset can be found at http://www.apeal.org/life-cycle


1 GWP - Global Warming Potential
2 POCP - Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential

Historic high in recycling rate 2013

We recently confirmed 2013 as the best year ever for steel packaging recycling in Europe.

An average European-wide recycling rate of 75% was achieved in 2013 (EU 27 countries), one percentage point up from the previous year.

The methodology and data sources used for the calculation of the European steel recycling rate have been once again reviewed independently by the energy and waste specialist consultancy, Eunomia, who have confirmed the credibility of our methodology and data.

The result confirms steel’s status as the most recycled packaging material in Europe and comes at a time when the recycling rates of other materials appear to be stagnating.

The rate equates to over 20 years of continuous improvement by the steel for packaging sector where recycling rates have risen more than threefold.

“Steel has numerous inherent qualities that underpin improving recycling rates, but this data shows that the industry is working as hard as ever to reach our voluntary objective of 80% recycling rate by 2020”, commented Alexander Mohr.

“Steel recycles forever, with no loss of material quality and is easily recovered from any waste stream thanks to its magnetic properties.

“A tonne of recycled steel saves over one and a half times its weight in CO2 emissions, over twice its weight in raw materials and uses 70% less energy than producing steel from virgin sources.”

Metal packaging recycles forever
video-recycles-forever

 

Take a look at this fantastic animation showing the infinite possibilities of recycled steel thanks to its permanent material status.

Watch video
“Green solutions in Central Europe” summit coming soon to Poland

We’re proud to announce that we’ll be hosting a second steel packaging summit specifically oriented to the needs of Central Europe.

The summit, “Steel Packaging - Green Solutions for Central Europe 2015", will take place in Warsaw on 8th October 2015 and will be followed by a tour of the ArcelorMittal Warszawa steel production plant.

Delegates confirmed for the event include national, regional and EU policy makers as well as representatives from can manufacturers, major brands and local recovery organisations. Rekopol Recovery Organisation SA is partnering the event.

“The steel for packaging business chain actively promotes the implementation of a circular flow economy in Europe. Our vision is a closed material loop”, commented APEAL president Dr Ulrich Roeske, who will be speaking at the conference.

“The Green Solutions 2015 summit will be an opportunity for policy makers, value chain partners and steel producers to present strategies, exchange ideas and communicate a vision for the future of steel as a sustainable packaging solution in a circular economic system”.

The tour of the ArcelorMittal Warszawa site will be an opportunity to experience first-hand how steel is recycled, integrating the manufacturing process and reducing raw material use, energy use and emissions.

The invite only summit is the second of its kind hosted by APEAL. The first event took place in 2011 at the U.S. Steel Košice plant in Slovakia.

More information

75% of steel packaging in Europe was recycled in 2013

Reworked website
apeal-new-site

We’ve had a makeover! Our new website is up and running, providing information and the latest news and insight on the steel for packaging industry. Take a fresh look at steel for packaging!

www.apeal.org
APEAL in the media

Packaging Europe - June
APEAL announces the second steel packaging summit specifically oriented to the needs of Central Europe (in English only)

 

FARO International Commodities Club - July
Stéphane Tondo, APEAL Board member, showing how steel makes the circular economy a reality with 75% recycling at the 42nd meeting in Milan last July (in English and Italian).

 

Opakowanie - July
The historic high in steel packaging recycling (in Polish only).

 

From Twitter

Steel Guru @steelguru - Jul 27
APEAL to host second steel packaging summit at Warszawa @steelguru #SteelGuru Link: steelguru.com/steel/apeal-to-host-second...

APEAL @APEAL_EU - Jul 14
#AskFrans 15.7. VP #TimmermansEU chat on #circulareconomy #takeafreshlook: steelpackaging the perfect example for circular economy!

APEAL @APEAL_EU - May 11
APEAL confirms historic high in steel #packaging recycling: bit.ly/1cl8oz8

Canned Food Alliance @CannedFoodFan - Apr 21
"Canned foods contain the same important nutrients - sometimes even more - as fresh foods" @chicagotribune #nutrition chicagotribune.com

@APEAL_EU
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