2009 has once again seen strong recycling rates achieved for domestic packaging steel. Nearly 320kt of packaging were recycled, representing 65% of domestic steel packaging.

Incineration remains the leading source of reclamation, accounting for 74% of the total. Kerbisde collection has increased to 25% of the total.

These figures combine tonnages processed by the "Filière Garantie de Reprise" (take-back guarantee stream) and those handled by alternative channels.

ArcelorMittal France, the channel of steel

ArcelorMittal France is the steel filière which deals with the recycling of scrap issued from the household packaging waste in France. Within the company, the Recycling Department manages, for the Local Authorities, the collection, treatment and effective recycling of steel household packaging, issued from the selective sorting, composting and incineration.

To fulfil its mission, ArcelorMittal France has joined forces, from the start, with Adelphe and Eco-Emballages, state-approved organisations in charge of facilitating the removal and recycling of household packaging via contracts with Local Authorities and agreements with the materials sectors (paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminium, steel).
→     Increase in the recovery rate of steel packaging in France
→     Increase in recycling of domestic steel packaging in France (in %)

More than 223,000 tonnes of steel packaging waste were recovered and recycled in 2009, which puts the recycling rate for this type of material at 69%, according to data collected by Ecoembes and Ecoacero.

The steel packaging recovered comes from various areas. Composting plants, which treat waste in bulk and extract various materials before manufacturing the compost, continue to produce the most steel packaging, accounting for 38,9% of the total recovered. Incinerating plants represent 14,2%, whilst kerbside collection by means of yellow containers accounted for roughly 20% of recovered steel.
The rest of the recovered material, almost 27%, comes from collections carried out by scrap yards, which accounted for 60,166 tonnes of steel packaging.

The process, initiated by Ecoacero and Ecoembes, ensures the material meets certain specified characteristics (such as iron content and absence of impurities), which will ensure that when recovered steel reaches steel works it will be of the very best quality.

(Data: EcoAcero)
→     Recovery of steel packaging by collection scheme (year 2005 - in tons)
→     Recovery of steel packaging by autonomous community (in tons)