Circular economy

Responsible resource management has always been key to the success of our industry. Made from permanent materials, metal packaging is the perfect example of a circular economy at work.

Metals are natural elements that maintain their physical properties forever. Once metal enters the material-to-material loop, in which it is recycled again and again, it will always be available for future generations. This means metal is a permanent material.

Permanent

A permanent material is a material whose inherent properties do not change during use and despite repeated recycling into new products. Its recycling does not necessarily require the addition of primary material or additives to enable the basic material function and properties.
- Carbotech -

Recycles forever

When metal products reach the end of their useful life, the materials are simply collected and recycled, again and again, with no loss of their inherent properties. This is known as real recycling. The metal packaging industry and its recycling stakeholders are committed to a real-recycling society.

Up to 80% of all metal ever produced in the world is still available for use.
We are committed to an average European metal packaging recycling rate of 80% by 2020.

Today, 79,5% of steel packaging and 73% of aluminium beverage cans are recycled in Europe, making metal packaging the most recycled packaging.

Resource efficiency

Global resources are limited, yet society's demands are increasing. Managing resources efficiently is therefore a top priority for our industry. Metal, as a highly recycled permanent material, saves raw materials, energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Circular economy

The metal packaging industry is the perfect example of a circular economy, with metal recycling forever in a material-to-material loop. When a metal product reaches the end of its useful life, the material is never lost. Through recycling, its value is retained forever, making it available today and for future generations.