Steel packaging featured prominently at the “Metal’s contribution to a resource efficient Europe” debate, yesterday 24th January

#25.01.2012 Steel packaging featured prominently at the “Metal’s contribution to a resource efficient Europe” debate, yesterday 24th January

APEAL President Robert Beltz joined the invite-only forum of EU policy makers, industry representatives, European associations and NGO’s where he focused awareness on the recycling record of steel and the continuous innovation undertaken by the industry to optimise the end product.
“Recycling is the core of our steel strategy” said Beltz, explaining how steelmaking requires the use of ferrous scrap. He highlighted how this saves raw materials and reduces emissions. ”Each item of recycled steel packaging saves one and a half times its weight of CO2” said Beltz, “that’s 4 million tonnes of CO2 each year. “
He also detailed how new generation steel grades have made cans lighter, thus using less raw material and consuming less energy.
The other keynote speakers called for a joining of forces to meet the challenge of a true recycling society.
“The scarcity of resources forces the EU to become radically more efficient, and recycling is paramount to achieve this goal” said Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, MEP, who hosted the event.
“Only by working together we will be able to take a real step towards resource efficiency in Europe” said Janez Potočnik, whose cabinet supported the event.
“We invite Member States, policy makers and stakeholders to join forces to meet the 2020 MPE target” said Anders Linde, Metal Packaging Europe (MPE).
The event marked the official launch in Brussels of MPE, as the umbrella organisation of metal packaging trade associations in Europe. Committed to and united through a sustainability manifesto, the metal packaging industry declared itself ready to increase the European average metal recycling rate from 70 to 80% by 2020.