The European Union wants a circular economy that is sustainable and environmentally friendly and is promoting recycled packaging materials as one of the means to achieve this goal. Aluminum and tinplate are considered ideal due to the various environmental and economic advantages they have over the ubiquitous plastic containers.

 The problem with plastic packages

 Waste management remains the main problem with plastic packaging.

• Less than 30% of plastic packaging is recycled in Europe.

• 31% ends up in landfills, and the remaining 39% is incinerated to generate energy.

 Plastic recovery depends on the type of polymer they are made of. PET (polyethylene terephthalate), HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) are the type of plastic that is most easily recycled.

It is possible to recycle PET by chemically recycling it, but it is an expensive process.

 In Germany, 98% of plastic bottles are recycled, of which only 34% are converted into new food-grade PET bottles, and the rest is recycled to make products such as textiles and tapes, etc.

 Overall in Europe, only 30% of the plastic in recycled plastic packaging is recovered and there is a constant need for primary plastic.

 Each year, 4% of fossil fuels are used as raw materials, and another 4% provides energy for plastic production, which in turn adds to climate change, air pollution and toxin production.

Social impacts of plastic pollution

 Plastic waste ends up in the oceans and represents 80% of marine litter. Which has greatly affected tourism, maritime transport, and fishing. Furthermore, most plastic waste is exported to developing countries for recycling, which occurs in unsafe conditions that lead to health problems for people.

 The environmental impacts of plastic

 Plastic can break down into small particles that can take 10 to thousands of years to completely decompose in the sea and in landfills.

• Millions of marine animals die because they consume plastic and microplastics.

• Nearly 700 marine species, many of which are endangered, and entire habitats are being decimated due to plastics.

• Harmful chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), a carcinogen, and bisphenol S (BPS) or bisphenol F (BPF), can be leached into landfills and oceans that can kill animals and can also be harmful to people.

• The use of plastic has hidden environmental, social, and economic costs.

 Advantages of tinplate and aluminum

 Both aluminum and tinplate are permanent materials that can be recycled and reused infinite times without losing any of their properties. They remain lightweight, strong, and flexible, and can be molded into any shape needed for containers and branding. So they are ideal candidates for secondary production or recovery after recycling. Using the two metals as packaging material,

 • Reduces damage to forests,

• Reduces air, water, and soil pollution.

• Replacement space in landfills, and

• Limits climate change when emissions are reduced.

 Steel for packaging: recycling rate evolution (Europe, Japan, US)

Tinplate

 They can be completely recycled. These are used as cans, lids and crown lids for aluminum and glass containers. Using recycled tin:

 • Reduces energy use by 60% compared to the production of new material,

• Prevents 86% of atmospheric emissions and 76% of water pollution.

• Mining waste up to 97%, and

• Save 40% water during production.

 In Europe, tinplate is the most recycled material. Countries such as Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain have achieved more than 90% of steel recovery. This happens thanks to the magnetic properties of steel. When tinplate that is not properly sorted ends up as residual waste, it is incinerated or subjected to mechanical and biological treatment. Giant magnets are used here to recover scrap steel from waste.

 Aluminum

 It is used to make cans and containers for foods, paints, cosmetics, and other consumables.

Using secondary aluminum has many benefits:  It saves 95% of the energy needed to produce new primary aluminum and achieves a 97% reduction in carbon emissions, ranking as the least polluting of all materials when recycled.

• Europe has the highest aluminum recycling rates in the world.
• Europe recycles 60% of its aluminum packaging and 90% of the aluminum used in construction and automobiles.
• Recycling of aluminum cans is high at 73%.
• More than 50% of the aluminum used by its member countries already comes from secondary sources.
• 89% of recycled aluminum is treated and recovered in Europe itself, further avoiding emissions due to long-distance transport.

 This has the added benefit of creating thousands of local jobs and providing a boost to national economies, as aluminum recycling is a small and medium scale industry.

Tinplate and aluminum take care of planet Earth.

These materials are the economically viable and environmentally friendly option. Considering that these materials show no loss of their original properties, choosing recycled aluminum and tinplate over plastic packages is the smart choice.