Steel is the most recycled (84%) primary packaging material in Europe
In the Netherlands, used steel packaging from households is collected along with other household waste. Next, most of the steel packaging is reclaimed by magnetic separation, usually after incineration. This system has resulted in a recycling rate of 95.6% in 2019, placing the Netherlands among the top recyclers of metal packaging in Europe.
At its UK centre of expertise on steel recycling, Tata Steel has been at the forefront of the recycling drive, actively contributing to government-supported recycling programmes.
Tata Steel is the largest steel reprocessor in the UK. Its focus remains on the domestic waste stream, and on recycling, via our recycling centres. Its objective is to ensure that its customers get the best possible steel recycling deals, with high recycling levels and low recycling costs. This led to the achievement of a recycling rate in 2019 of 77% for packaging steel in the UK.
Steel recycling saves resources and reduces CO2 emissions, energy consumption and water usage. According to worldsteel, more than 22bn tonnes of steel have been recycled worldwide since 1900 – resulting in significant energy and raw material savings.
