The GHG emissions related to our products’ full life cycle
are based on several factors:
GHG emissions related to metal production and its end of life
The quantity of material used (metal, inks, coatings, compounds)
The secondary packaging
The transportation from our suppliers and to our customers
Metal is a permanent material which is infinitely recyclable and efficiently recycled, for the most optimised end of life
A permanent material is one whose inherent properties do not change during use and despite repeated recycling into new products, its recycling doesn’t necessarily require the addition of primary material or additives to enable the basic material function and properties
• Steel is the most recycled material in the world
• 85.5% of steel packaging is currently recycled in Europe
• It is estimated that the recycled content rate of steel packaging in Europe is 58% of steel for packaging produced in Europe
But despite its exemplary circularity credentials, metal production is CO2 intensive. This is why we work with local metal producers who are committed to the Paris Agreement and are innovating new ways to produce carbon-free metal by 2050
By 2050, our objective is to sell products made of metal – permanent material that will be carbon-free, with the highest recycling rate possible – an average of 58% of recycled content for steel and 50% for aluminium
We are working with local suppliers and keeping production close to our customers to reduce the transportation-related GHG emissions of our products
we aim to accelerate the downgauging of our product lines to achieve the minimum quantity of metal used while preserving the integrity of our packaging. We also aim to reduce secondary packaging to a minimum and reuse it as much as possible
All new products are eco-conceived. This means we conduct systematic product life cycle analysis for new customers and new product developments with a tool called Instant LCA from RDC Environment. This allows us to compare different materials and product features and analyse the life cycle of our products from cradle to grave. The tool is certified ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
In order to lower the carbon footprint of our existing product lines, we work proactively on decreasing the thickness and quantity of material used. This is done in partnership with our suppliers and customers to ensure the integrity and resistance of the packaging across the full supply chain, with its impact verified through an extensive life cycle analysis.
Through our innovation, we reduced the overall quantity of metal we used in 2022, reducing CO2 emissions by 1,086 tonnes and drastically improved the carbon footprint of each downgauged product.
We have conducted a review of our product lines to identify all downgauging opportunities, and are planning tests accordingly in partnership with customers and suppliers.
We are continuing to invest in logistics, letting us stay as close to our customers as possible, resulting in a reduction of our transportation-related carbon footprint. In 2023, we are opening a new facility in Rayong, Thailand, which is a wall-to-wall factory with our local customers, allowing us to eliminate the transportation and secondary packaging completely.
We are also working with the Metal Packaging Europe association on a Material Circularity Indicator (MCI), which provides a score that takes into account the number of recycling loops that materials can withstand while still keeping their physical properties. The MCI’s objective is to clarify the real recyclability and circularity of materials
