Europe’s steel packaging recycling rate surges to record 82% in 2023

EUROPE – Steel packaging in Europe reached an unprecedented recycling rate of 82% in 2023, according to new figures released by Steel for Packaging Europe.

This milestone, independently verified and aligned with the EU’s harmonized methodology, represents the highest recycling rate ever recorded for this material.

Unlike collection statistics, which can be misleading, this rate strictly measures steel packaging that was successfully processed and reintegrated into manufacturing through recycling operations.

This achievement highlights the unique recyclability of steel, a material that is not only magnetic—allowing for efficient separation from waste streams—but also infinitely recyclable without degradation in quality.

Once collected, used steel packaging is melted in electric arc or basic oxygen furnaces and reformed into new steel products.

This process conserves natural resources and energy, emitting significantly less carbon dioxide compared to the production of virgin steel from iron ore.

According to Steel for Packaging Europe, 100% of recycled steel retains its inherent properties, making it ideal for re-use across a wide range of applications—from fresh packaging formats to long-life infrastructure projects such as railway tracks, automotive parts, and renewable energy infrastructure like wind turbines.

This underscores steel’s role as a permanent material in the circular economy, where resources are kept in use for as long as possible.

The 82% recycling rate is also a critical step toward achieving the European Union’s Green Deal and circular economy targets.

The EU aims to become a fully circular economy by 2050, minimizing waste and ensuring that materials are recirculated through efficient, closed-loop systems.

Steel packaging, with its near-perfect recyclability and robust collection infrastructure, is helping to lead the charge.

Steve Claus, Secretary General of Steel for Packaging Europe, emphasized the broader policy implications of this progress, “Steel packaging has long set the standard as a model material for a circular economy.

“The forthcoming new EU Circular Economy Act, expected in 2026, will harmonize regulations across member states and prioritize sustainable access to critical raw materials. In this context, steel packaging’s practical, local, and scalable recycling success story offers a blueprint for other materials and sectors.”

As Europe moves toward greater sustainability and resource efficiency, the steel industry’s achievement underscores how advanced materials management can deliver tangible environmental and economic benefits.

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