64.9% of steel cans are recycled
10 Jan 2007
Brussels, 10 January 2007 - More than 5 million metric tonnes of steel cans were recycled in 2005 according to the International Iron and Steel Institute’s Committee on Packaging (PACKCO). This represents an average recycling rate for steel packaging of 64.9%. The rate has been continuously rising over the past five years. The 2005 recycling rate for steel packaging is 7.4% higher than in 2001.
Steel cans (and indeed all steel products) contain recycled steel. Around 25% of all the steel in a can comes from recycled sources. Steel is 100% recyclable and can be recycled over and over without any loss of quality. The unique magnetic property of steel makes it very easy to transfer steel from the waste stream to the recycling stream. This one of the key reasons why steel is the most recycled material in the world.
Roger Steens, Chairman of PACKCO, comments: “Packaging steel has again justified its unique position as a sustainable material for the packaging industry. Steel cans are not only durable, tamper-resistant, shelf-stable and convenient containers, but also very considerate to the environment. Recycling has always been a priority for the steel industry“.
Recycling steel saves both the environment and energy. “Minimising our impact on the environment is our responsibility to future generations. Recycling 5 million tons of steel packaging in 2005 saved enough energy to power 4 million mid-size family homes for a year or the entire city of Vienna for six months”, stated Steens.
To calculate the recycling rate, IISI gathered data from its members in six regions of the world. This covers approximately 65% of total world production of packaging steels.
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