Following the release of EU data by APEAL last week, the World Steel Association (formerly IISI) yesterday confirmed that there was a global increase in recycling rates for steel cans in 2007. The Brussels based organisation said that 7.2 million metric tons of steel cans were recycled across the 37 countries reporting in 2007. This avoided approximately 13 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The global recycling rate for steel cans was 68% in 2007, a slight increase from 67% in 2006. This is the highest level ever and is the third consecutive year that the steel can recycling rate has increased. Amongst countries covered by the 2007 statistics, Belgium and Germany topped the league with the highest recycling rates of 93% and 91%, as reported previously by APEAL. Of the individual countries that reported directly to worldsteel, Japan had the highest recycling rate at 85%, although this had dipped from 88% the previous year.
Europe, North America and South Africa have been particularly consistent in gathering good data and increasing recycling rates year-after-year. South Africa recorded a recycling rate of 70% in 2007, a 2% increase compared to 2006. Europe recycled 2.5 Mt of steel cans in 2007, a recycling rate of 69%. In the US 1.6 Mt of steel cans were recovered for recycling in 2007, an increase to 65% compared to 63% the previous year. Rates were lower in emerging markets, but rising: from 33% to 35% in Turkey and from 47% to 49% in Brazil.
