Recycling Steel Packaging: Newland of Aerosol

The World Aerosols reported last week, recycling of steel packaging in Europe has hit an all-time high of 80.5%.This record rate, which represents data from 2017, confirms steel as Europe’s most recycled primary packaging material. It also indicates the industry has met and even exceeded one of its key sustainability goals—a 80% recycling rate in Europe by 2020—three years ahead of schedule.

Tinplate, as the main material of producing aerosol tin cans which can be used to household care, automatic care, personal care and some chemical spray products, have the bright future with it’s advantages of recycling.

• Tinplate consists of sheets of steel, coated with a thin layer of tin. Before the advent of cheap milled steel the backing metal was iron. While once more widely used, the primary use of tinplate now is the manufacture of tin cans.
• Tinplate is made by rolling the steel (or formerly iron) in a rolling mill, removing any scale (rust) by pickling it in acid and then coating it with a thin layer of tin. Plates were once produced individually (or in small groups) in what became known as a pack mill. In the late 1920s pack mills began to be replaced by strip mills which produced larger quantities more economically.

Alexis Van Maercke, secretary general of Apeal, said, “With 100% of the separately collected steel packaging being recycled into new steel products, these figures further reinforce the fact that steel is the best placed of all packaging materials to reach the higher recycling targets proposed by the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive in the context of the Circular Economy package. This is another major achievement for the industry, and sends a loud and clear message to brands, manufacturers and retailers that it is high time more emphasis was placed on this tried, tested and sustainable packaging solution.”

As well as being the most recycled primary packaging material, steel is a permanent material that can be infinitely recycled without any loss of quality. Worldsteel estimates that 75% of steel products ever made are still in use today.

Recycling steel packaging reduces emissions and helps to save natural resources such as iron ore, coal and limestone. In addition, its portion size versatility, long shelf-life and ambient storage qualities reduce food waste and energy consumption.

For present, the aerosol tin can exports  are approaching 100 million, the future of aerosol packing is worth looking forward to with the recycling material using and advanced technology. However, the environmental protection theme deserve attention, and to achieve this purpose, one is for material and manufacure and another is for using correctly and recycling.

As manufacture, material and manufacture condition are equally important. As for consumer, quality and how to use it correctly should be attention both of them.

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