Metals - I'm 18

Packaging News
May 2006

The 2005 figures for UK steel packaging recycling will break the psychologically important 50 per cent barrier. That, at least, is the prediction of John May, manager of the Corus Steel Packaging Recycling Unit.

May pleads for comparisons to be made with the 1998 recycling rate in the UK of just 25 per cent, rather than with the 60 per cent average for 2004 across the enlarged EU. “The constraint to date has been the existence of the collection and recycling infrastructure,” he says. “Future constraints will come from consumer participation.”

According to Corus, 90 per cent of UK local authorities are now collecting steel cans. This year, the recycler will be working with WRAP’s Big Recycle and Recycle Now to shift consumer attitudes. May believes that metals have a strong story to tell, since – unlike fibre-based packaging – quality does not deteriorate when the material has been recycled several times.

Canmakers, such as Impress Metal Packaging, are pushing ahead with lightweighting, with its latest easy-open can end for Heinz bringing the gauge down to just 0.18mm. Impress says this is a 10 per cent materials saving on current best practice.

For further Information, please contact:

Impress:
T: +33 (0)243 485 100

Discover Impress on: www.impressgroup.com