Inside Brussels

In April, after long and complex discussions, the European Parliament endorsed the formal adoption of the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Aiming to reduce the amount of packaging waste generated in the EU and promote higher rates of recycling, the new rules signify a major shift towards transparency and circularity.

Our announcement last 17th June of the transformation from APEAL to Steel for Packaging Europe, marks a significant milestone in our organisation's journey but reflects a very similar shift, capturing the essence of steel's circularity and rendering its inherent multiple recyclability more visible for all our stakeholders.

As the EU political landscape welcomes a host of new faces to Brussels, it is the right time for us to step into the evolving landscape with renewed clarity and confidence in the role that steel packaging can play to help create a sustainable European packaging industry.

Our ever-increasing steel packaging recycling rates are testament to our commitment to transparency. APEAL is proud that its newly published figures correspond to the amount of packaging that is actually recycled at the entrance of recycling operations and not that which is just collected. This aligns with the progressive approach adopted by the EU 2 years ago, a major shift towards accuracy and transparency in the European packaging industry and an important step towards creating a level playing field for all packaging materials in Europe.

We are therefore particularly pleased that the new PPWR includes the establishment of design for recycling criteria, applicable to all packaging, and the introduction of a performance grading system with clear criteria – the first of its kind. This is an essential measure to ensure packaging materials are designed for recycling, but also to ensure they are effectively collected, sorted, and recycled at scale.

The three grades of defined recyclability percentages – A, B, C (95%/80%/70%) to comply with by 2030 and two – A, B (95%/80%) by 2038, is poised to ultimately remove any material that is less than 80% recyclable from the market.

Steel for Packaging, with all formats graded A or B, demonstrates a superior performance compared to other materials such as plastics and laminated cartons.

In the months ahead, as PPWR implementation and secondary legislation takes centre stage, we continue to urge all EU Institutions to retain high levels of ambition. And we look forward to continuing to work with our stakeholders and those throughout the value chain to fully close the material loop, promote resource efficiency and shape a sustainable packaging landscape, together.