Improvement in Recycling Rates
Aluminum packaging has shown excellent recycling performance. According to relevant reports, 75% of the aluminum ever produced on Earth is still in use. In 2023, the recycling rate of aluminum packaging in the UK reached 68%. The US Environmental Protection Agency reported that 73% of steel packaging is recycled annually. In contrast, only 13% of plastic packaging is recycled each year.
Environmental Initiatives by Companies
Many companies are actively involved in environmental protection. For example, Trivium Packaging launched new products including aluminum wine bottles in July 2020. Its 2023 Sustainability Report emphasized its commitment to environmental management and carbon reduction. Westwood® Kunststofftechnik uses tinplate containers made of carbon-reduced BlueScope® steel. Amcor provides plastic-free aluminum foil capsules for Moët & Chandon champagne.
Trend of Lightweighting
To reduce resource waste and carbon footprint, lightweighting has become a key focus in the development of metal packaging. For instance, Toyo Seikan introduced the world’s lightest aluminum beverage can, with a 13% reduction in material usage. Each can weighs only 6.1 grams. It not only improves transportation efficiency but also ensures strength and durability, and has been adopted by brands under The Coca-Cola Company.
Exploration of New Manufacturing Technologies
Companies are researching new manufacturing technologies to reduce the amount of materials used in metal containers without affecting quality and functionality. This includes optimizing stamping and forming processes and reducing the wall thickness of packaging to improve resource utilization efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Policy Promotion and Group Standards and Specifications
Policy support is prompting the industry to transform towards environmental protection, and the role of group standards is becoming increasingly prominent. They can unify product quality standards, regulate design and production processes, promote technological innovation, industrial upgrading, and improve the recycling system, thereby enhancing the quality and recycling efficiency of recyclable packaging materials.
Post time: Dec-23-2024