APEAL said that on average, one in two steel packs placed on the European market was recycled in 2000 in 13 European countries. This accounts for 1,670,000 tonnes of steel packaging and represents a 15% increase on 1999 levels when a total of 1,450,000 tonnes was recycled.
But the association added that owing to differing national waste management infrastructures and based on industry projections, a 50% recycling rate of metal packaging for each member state by 2006 is unrealistic.
Germany and Austria are recycling nearly 80% and Belgium and Netherlands achieved 77%. Portugal, Italy and Finland have all now exceeded the 15% minimum recycling rate stipulated in the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. And the UK has increased its rate to 34%.
Philippe Wolper, director general of APEAL, said that the industry will not rest on its laurels in 2002. “In Ireland, compliance scheme REPAK has started a multi-material kerbside collection programme in Dublin. In Greece, collection systems for household packaging are still in their infancy and our industry is keen to co-operate with the Greek can-makers in order to set up a steel packaging recycling consortium in early 2002.”
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