Mar 19 2009
The World Steel Association (worldsteel) announced today that 7.2 million metric tons (mmt) of steel cans were recycled across the 37 countries reporting in 2007. This avoided approximately 13 mmt of CO2 emissions.
The global recycling rate for steel cans was 68% in 2007, a slight increase from 67% in 2006. This is the highest level ever and is the third consecutive year that the steel can recycling rate has increased.
Amongst countries covered by the 2007 statistics, Belgium and Germany topped the league with the highest recycling rates of 93% and 91%. Of the individual countries that reported directly to worldsteel, Japan had the highest recycling rate at 85%. Europe, North America and South Africa have been particularly consistent in gathering good data and increasing recycling rates year-after-year. South Africa recorded a recycling rate of 70% in 2007, a 2% increase compared to 2006. Europe recycled 2.5 mmt of steel cans in 2007, a recycling rate of 69%. In the US 1.6 mmt of steel cans were recovered for recycling in 2007, an increase to 65% compared to 63% the previous year.
Julie Renner, Chairwoman of worldsteel’s Committee on Packaging said, “Our data shows that steel recycling is well established in almost all regions of the world. Not only is the recycling rate increasing in developed countries such as the US and Canada but it is also going up in emerging markets such as Brazil and Turkey. This is good for the environment because steel is 100% recyclable and it shows that consumers are contributing to the reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions by choosing and recycling steel packaging”.