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Steel for Packaging Europe has announced its transformation from APEAL (The Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging), marking a significant milestone in the organization's journey.

Accompanying this change is a dynamic name and a fresh logo, capturing the essence of steel's circularity and its inherent multiple recyclability within a closed material loop.

Founded in 1986, Steel for Packaging Europe represents the five major European producers of packaging steel: Acciaierie d’Italia A.S., ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel, thyssenkrupp Rasselstein and U.S. Steel Košice.

Steve Claus, secretary general of Steel for Packaging Europe said, “After extensive consultation with our stakeholders, we have adopted our new name and logo to help us better reflect steel’s inherent material capabilities to be produced, reproduced, born and reborn, forever.

“Offering a strong and versatile solution for the secure packaging of food and other goods, steel packaging plays a vital role in preserving products without need for refrigeration, extending shelf life for up to five years and reducing waste. These properties make it the model material for a circular economy.”

Claus added: “With 78.5% of steel packaging recycled in 2021, steel remains the most widely recycled sales packaging material in Europe, a testament to its unique properties and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across the value chain to maintain a closed material loop.”

As part of the rebrand, Steel for Packaging Europe has launched a new website, www.steelforpackagingeurope.eu.

The platform serves as a dynamic hub, showcasing the circularity, design flexibility, and versatility of steel packaging. It also highlights recent industry innovations, including the Chromium-free Passivation Alternative, and provides insights into the industry’s position on a range of policy and environmental issues, as well as the collective EU steel industry’s bold vision to achieve a carbon-neutral future by 2050.

Record Recycling Rate

Steel for Packaging Europe has confirmed a new record recycling rate for steel packaging, following the harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates within the EU.

Independently verified figures published by Steel for Packaging Europe confirm that 80.5% of steel packaging placed on the market was ‘really recycled’ in 2022. It follows the announcement in December 2023 that steel packaging had met its EU recycling rate target for 2025, four years ahead of schedule.

The 2022 recycling rate also represents a 2% increase versus the 2021 recycling rate and confirms steel packaging remains the most widely recycled sales packaging material in Europe, which is testament to its unique properties and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across the value chain toward reaching a 100% closed material loop.

“I am proud that the newly published figures correspond to the amount of packaging that is actually recycled at the entrance of recycling operations and not merely the packaging which is collected,” said Steve Claus, Secretary General of Steel for Packaging Europe. “This harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates creates a level playing field for all packaging materials in Europe.”

Claus notes that, previously, EU member states used varying methods to determine recycling rates for different materials, leading to inflated rates and obscuring the recycling challenges associated with some packaging formats.

The announcement comes in the wake of the formal adoption of the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) voted by the European Parliament (EP), which includes a range of stricter recyclability measures.

Claus said he is particularly pleased that the new PPWR includes the establishment of design for recycling criteria – applicable to all packaging – and the introduction of a performance grading system with clear criteria.

“The three grades of defined recyclability percentages – A, B, C (95%/80%/70%) to comply with by 2030 and two – A, B (95%/80%) by 2038, will ultimately drive any material that is less than 80% recyclable from the market,” Claus notes. “Steel packaging, with all formats graded A or B, demonstrates a superior performance compared to other materials such as plastics and laminated cartons.”