“It’s important to keep valuable materials in use, so that today’s food can might be tomorrow’s train bridge or even a bicycle,” Alexis Van Maercke told the 600-strong policy-making audience at the MEP Awards in Brussels last March, before congratulating Javor Benedek MEP on winning the environment award.
“Recycling forever” was at the heart off-stage too, and at the APEAL stand. Following a heavily subscribed prize draw on the night, there are now 2 more “I recycle metal” bicycles weaving their way through the streets of Brussels and spreading our recycling message.
More about the MEP Awards night here
On another note, there were mixed signals on the authorisation for continued uses of chromium trioxide for the passivation of tinplated steel (ETP) and Tin-Free Steel / Electrolytic Chromium Coated Steel (ECCS) as well as for other industries, including the automotive, aerospace and defence.
After a European Commission draft decision in February to authorise continued use during the qualification of alternatives, a European Parliament (EP) resolution objecting to the authorisation was introduced in March. With the EP voting not to reject the authorisation but rather to ask that the EC review its draft decision, there are clearly divisions within the EP on this issue.
APEAL is confident that the EC can move forward with the granting of the authorisation so that qualification of alternatives may continue. Our sector is planning to phase out these uses in the coming years once the alternatives that APEAL members themselves are developing have been qualified by the supply chain to ensure continued product and consumer safety. Indeed, as demonstrated by APEAL at the recent Can Tech “The Grand Tour” event in Istanbul, all APEAL members are fully aligned and committed to ensuring the successful implementation of Chrome Free Passivation Alternative (CFPA) for tinplate.
More about the subject in our press releases here