APEAL changes name to Steel for Packaging Europe

The Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL) recently announced its transformation to Steel for Packaging Europe.

The Brussels-based organization says the name change is joined by a new logo, “capturing the essence of steel’s circularity and its inherent multiple recyclability within a closed material loop.”

Founded in 1986, Steel for Packaging Europe represents the five major European producers of packaging steel: Acciaierie d’Italia A.S., ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel, ThyssenKrupp Rasselstein and United States Steel Košice.

“After extensive consultation with our stakeholders, we have adopted our new name and logo to help us better reflect steel’s inherent material capabilities to be produced, reproduced, born and reborn, forever,” says Steve Claus, secretary general of the organization. “Offering a strong and versatile solution for the secure packaging of food and other goods, steel packaging plays a vital role in preserving products without need for refrigeration, extending shelf life for up to five years and reducing waste. These properties make it the model material for a circular economy.

“With 78.5 percent of steel packaging recycled in 2021, steel remains the most widely recycled sales packaging material in Europe, a testament to its unique properties and the collaborative efforts of stakeholders across the value chain to maintain a closed material loop,” Claus continues.

As part of the rebrand, Steel for Packaging Europe also has launched a new website. According to the organization, the platform serves as a “dynamic hub,” showcasing the circularity, design flexibility and versatility of steel packaging. It also highlights recent industry innovations, including the chromium-free passivation alternative, and provides insights into the industry’s position on a range of policy and environmental issues, as well as the collective European Union steel industry’s vision to achieve a carbon-neutral future by 2050.

“With the European Union in the process of transitioning to a circular future, our refreshed identity positions our industry as an active contributor to the development of a sustainable packaging landscape,” Claus says. “Together, we are poised to shape the green economy of tomorrow.”

New recycling record

Steel for Packaging Europe says it has confirmed a new record recycling rate for steel packaging, following the harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates within the EU.

Independently verified figures published by the organization claim 80.5 percent of steel packaging placed on the market was “really recycled” in 2022. It follows the announcement in December 2023 that steel packaging had met its EU recycling rate target for 2025—four years ahead of schedule.

The organization says the announcement also represents a 2 percent increase on the 2021 recycling rate.

“Steel packaging’s ever-increasing recycling rates reflect the industry’s commitment to transparency and demonstrate why steel packaging is so well aligned with the EU’s vision for a circular economy,” Claus says.

“I am proud that the newly published figures correspond to the amount of packaging that is actually recycled at the entrance of recycling operations and not merely the packaging which is collected,” he continues. “This harmonized method for calculating packaging recycling rates creates a level playing field for all packaging materials in Europe. Previously, EU member states used varying methods to determine recycling rates for different materials, leading to inflated rates and obscuring the recycling challenges associated with some packaging formats.”

The announcement follows the formal adoption of the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) voted by the European Parliament, which includes a range of stricter recyclability measures.

“I am 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 a clear criteria,” Claus says. “The three grades of defined recyclability percentages—A, B, C (95 percent, 80 percent, 70 percent) to comply with by 2030, and two—A, B (95 percent, 80 percent) by 2038, will ultimately drive any material that is less than 80 percent recyclable from the market. Steel packaging, with all formats graded A or B, demonstrates a superior performance compared to other materials such as plastics and laminated cartons.”