Sustainable metals
communicating the message
Resources
Sources of information:
World Steel association
World Steel Association has launched an extensive site targeting education in steel for packaging see the packaging applications site to understand more about what steel offers packaging, its performance capabilities and more details on the food can.
Metal packaging trade associations
Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association (UK)
MPMA environmental information on cans
Metal manufacturers
Corus Packaging Plus (steel for packaging)
APEAL (EU tinplate producers’ industry association)
The World Steel Association has launched this microsite as a focal point for information about the industry's efforts to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide.
Sustainability Report of the World Steel Industry
Recycling of metals for packaging
Corus Steel Packaging recycling
Nutrition of food in cans / recipes etc.
Sustainability - The Infinite Recycling Loop of Metal for Packaging
Over the last 20 years metal cans have become considerably lighter. Improvements in can making technology and the continuous development of metal grades have made possible the down-gauging (light-weighting) of cans in the can making process. The reduction of the weight of can is a major contributor to prevention of waste.
Data recently released by EMPAC (European Metal Packaging, the European trade association for the metal packaging industry) demonstrates that over the last 20 years the market for food and drinks cans, in steel and aluminium, has increased by 57%. Over this same period the absolute quantity of virgin metal used had reduced by 20%, net CO2 emissions and net energy usage have reduced by 50% and 60% respectively. To maintain and improve on this excellent record it will be necessary to increase the percentage of containers recycled into new metal from sources of post consumer waste.
When it comes to recycling there are two different streams: Pre-consumer (from production) and post-consumer (end of life time) scrap stream - both streams lead to new material production. Recycling waste material from the can making process into new metal has been a very high priority for many years because these materials have inherent value in the economics of these processes. Not only that but every metal production plant is a recycling plant - recycled material is a vital part of the metal making process. Metal is different to other packaging materials like paper and plastic because metals (steel and aluminium) are recycled on an atomic level. This means that once re-melted, recycled metal is indistinguishable from new metal smelted from ore and that these metals may be re-melted an infinite number of times without loss of properties. In Europe roughly 80% of all steel used goes back into the metal recycling loop over and over again.
Recent studies on sustainability of metal packaging confirm that an increased recycling of post consumer metal packaging waste (after end of life) reduces the amount of new metal that needs to be produced as virgin material. The use of recycled metal is infinitely more beneficial in the reduction of CO2 emissions than the reduction of energy, transport or metal usage in container manufacture and delivery. With metals, the energy used in the mining, transportation of raw materials and smelting operations to produce new metal from ore can be seen as being locked-up in the metal forever to be used in a next material life, whatever it is used for.
One of the main environmental benefits arising from fresh food packed into metal cans, which are then heat processed, is that the pack is then stored at ambient temperature for the remainder of its life. Metal packaging has excellent barrier properties - 100% protection from light, air and water - ensuring maximum product quality. Products packed in metal do not require additives to preserve them. Canned food may be stored for years - no further energy being required purely to preserve the integrity of the product. In many underdeveloped countries vast quantities of agricultural products go to waste because they have become inedible before they can be consumed. Preserving these products by packing into heat processed metal containers at source can provide a satisfactory solution to this issue. Furthermore, it does not matter how far away the final customer is located from the original source of the fresh product or how long it takes to arrive, as the contents once opened will still be fresh with no additional energy required to keep it so.
“Cradle to Cradle” thinking proposes that intelligent design can eliminate the concept of waste. It refers to a production process where products are developed for closed-loop systems in which every output ingredient is safe and beneficial – either to biodegrade naturally (called a biological nutrient), or to be fully recycled into high-quality materials for subsequent product generations (called a technical nutrient). Metals for packaging are fully aligned with the Cradle to Cradle thinking particularly since it is recycled on an atomic level and is reconstituted to its original virgin quality.