Series of articles: ‘Recycling of tinplate packaging’

Our two-part series of articles examines how metal packaging meets the strict requirements of the new EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR).

In our new two-part series of articles, ‘Recycling of Tinplate Packaging’, we examine the facts and figures relating to the circular economy for metal packaging, as used in the chemical and construction industries.

In the first part, we explain the basic concepts of recycling and recyclability; in the second part, we take a closer look at recycled content and explain the differences compared to other packaging materials.

Facts and figures on the circular economy

The circular economy is no longer a marginal issue, but a key competitive factor for industry, retail and packaging manufacturers. With the new European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), which is expected to come into force on 12 August 2026, the focus is shifting significantly: away from pure disposal targets, towards measurable recyclability, binding recycled content targets and clear market requirements.

For businesses, this means that packaging will in future be assessed not only on the basis of cost and function, but also on its actual recyclability. Terms such as recycling rate, recyclability and recycled content are therefore no longer merely technical indicators, but key factors determining market access, fee structures and sustainability strategy.
Metal packaging – particularly tinplate – clearly demonstrates just how effective established recycling structures already are today and the role they can play in a functioning circular economy. The table below illustrates this: in many countries of the European Union, a recycling rate of around 80 per cent has been achieved for many years. Almost everywhere, the rate is rising, with ever-increasing proportions of packaging used in households and industry being returned to the cycle.

Source: Eurostat (EU statistical office) – Recycling rates of packaging waste for monitoring compliance with policy targets, by type of packaging (Link)

Whilst recycling rates for metal packaging improved significantly in many places, per capita consumption of packaging waste fell overall across EU Member States, meaning the environment benefits in two ways – less environmental impact due to less waste and, at the same time, higher recycling rates.

Source: Eurostat Packaging waste by waste management operations (Link)

Source: Eurostat Packaging waste by waste management operations (Link)

Recycling rate

It is therefore a systemic indicator rather than a characteristic of individual packaging items.

At European level, the PPWR sets binding targets. For packaging made of ferrous metals – which includes tinplate – the target rate is at least 70% from 2025 and 80% from 2030. Germany goes significantly further with its Packaging Act: recycling rates of up to 90% are required for sales packaging from private end-users.
In practice, it is evident that metal packaging not only meets these requirements but regularly exceeds them.
According to industry and EU data, the recycling rate for steel packaging in Europe currently stands at over 80%. In Germany, recycling rates of over 90% have been achieved for tinplate packaging from households for years.
The reason for this is structural: metals can be sorted magnetically, processed with minimal loss and recycled almost indefinitely without any loss of quality. This creates stable material cycles with high recovery rates.

Recyclability: a property of individual packaging

Unlike the recycling rate, recyclability describes the quality of a specific piece of packaging. It indicates what proportion of that packaging can actually be reused as a secondary raw material after sorting and processing. This metric will become the decisive criterion for market access in future:
The PPWR stipulates that, from 2030, packaging must achieve a minimum recyclability of 70%, rising to 80% from 2038. Packaging that does not meet these thresholds will eventually no longer be permitted to be placed on the market.

In addition, recyclability will have a direct impact on so-called EPR fees – that is, the costs manufacturers pay for participating in take-back schemes. The more recyclable a packaging is, the lower these fees will be. Tinplate packaging performs particularly well in this regard. Thanks to its homogeneous material structure and established sorting technology, it typically achieves recyclability rates of 94 to 99%.

An additional advantage is that other types of packaging also benefit. Glass packaging with metal closures often achieves better recycling rates, as metal components can be efficiently separated and do not interfere with the recycling process.