National Recycle Week: Tata Steel joins the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative

16 Oct 2023 --- Tata Steel has become the latest business to join the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative, coinciding with National Recycling Week (October 16–22). Steel aerosols are captured for recycling through existing UK recycling schemes such as curbside collection, magnetic extraction and after waste incineration.

According to The Waste and Resources Action Programme, National Recycling Week is when retailers, brands, waste management companies, trade associations, governments and the media come together to achieve one goal: to galvanize the public into recycling more effectively. 

Tata Steel says aerosol cans contribute to UK steel recycling rates, but consumers’ appreciation of their recycling credentials is low compared to other household metal containers such as food cans.

“We all use metal aerosols around the house, and they are widely used by businesses such as hairdressers and tradespeople. Yet there is a definite gap in consumers’ knowledge of the recycling potential of metal aerosol cans, and separating them for recycling at home is not yet as instinctive as it is for most other forms of packaging,” says Nicola Jones, manager for Steel Packaging Recycling.

“Tata Steel is joining the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative to help narrow that knowledge gap and increase metal recycling rates further.”

Attention on aerosols
Launched by Alupro in Autumn 2022, the campaign’s key priorities are said to be closely aligned with Tata Steel’s recycling education activities, which include encouraging and measuring recycling performance, ensuring consistency of public messaging around metal packaging recycling and driving targeted consumer education of good home recycling practices.

"Tata Steel joining the initiative strengthens the partnership within the supply chain which will increase the capture of aerosols in the domestic household recycling stream. Metal aerosols in particular are captured at many and various stages throughout the recycling system," a Tata Steel spokesperson tells Packaging Insights.

"All aerosols within the domestic stream can be fully recycled and could end up at Tata Steel in Port Talbot for melting and made into new steel products."

Tata Steel notes an increased interest in aerosol cans made from steel.Other UK Aerosols Recycling Initiative members include the British Aerosols Manufacturers’ Association and Trivium Packaging. The project also encourages metal aerosol recyclability and viability in a post-extended producer responsibility and deposit return scheme landscape.

Tata Steel says it is witnessing greater interest in steel for aerosols. Historically, steel aerosol cans are welded — now, Tata Steel’s high-quality steel grades and can-making knowledge have made a non-welded aerosol can possible in various shapes and sizes.

“Our contribution to a non-welded offer, interest in steel products — which offer greater shaping opportunities — plus steel’s exemplary recycling credentials make now the perfect time to join this recycling initiative,” explains Jones.

“Our end goal is to maximize steel collection and recycling, and the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative will make a significant contribution to this.”

Weld-free cans
The Protact two-piece aerosol can, made by DS Containers in a combined draw-redraw and draw and wall ironed (D&I) can-making process, combines value and product integrity, allowing brands to create a premium pack with consumer appeal.

Protact is weld-free with polymer corrosion protection that offers possibilities for high-quality decoration and facilitates a lean production process for aerosol can makers. Two-piece tinplate aerosols made by a D&I process are already on the market.

Tata Steel is also interested in shaped aerosols, which can boost consumer appeal. The company has high-elongation steels that enable shaped aerosol production. 

Edited by Sabine Waldeck