Recycling a container is not just about putting it in the right container. For the material to truly return to the production system, an entire chain must work, made up of citizens, collection systems, sorting plants and the recycling industry.

In the case of metal containers, this chain has great potential. Tin is a permanent material that can be recycled repeatedly without losing its properties. However, for this circularity to be effective, it is essential to recover the maximum possible amount of material and ensure that it reaches the steelworks with the right quality.

A circularity that starts at home

The first step takes place when a person decides where to deposit an empty container. A correct separation facilitates the recovery of the material, reduces the presence of inappropriate materials and improves the quality of the recycled steel.

One of the most common problems is introducing paper, cardboard, plastics or other waste inside metal containers. This gesture, which may seem harmless, makes the subsequent selection considerably more difficult. The magnets can separate the steel from the rest of the waste stream, but they cannot extract the materials that have been trapped inside the container.

That’s why it’s important to empty the containers well and not use them as if they were a trash can. The cleaner and more separated the packaging is when it arrives at the treatment plant, the more efficient the whole process is.

There is no single ideal collection system

Various collection models coexist in Europe: containers for different fractions, door-to-door systems, donation and collection points where various types of packaging are mixed.

Each has advantages and disadvantages. Door-to-door can encourage high participation and good separation at origin, but requires more logistical resources and a significant commitment from households. Donation points can be cheaper and more flexible, although distance or an inaccessible location can reduce their use. Systems that group multiple materials simplify collection, but may generate more contamination and require additional sorting processes.

The best solution, therefore, does not necessarily have to be identical everywhere. It must adapt to the characteristics of each territory and combine accessibility, logistical efficiency, citizen participation and quality of the recovered material.

Magnetism, the great ally of cans

Once the waste reaches the sorting plant, steel offers a very valuable advantage: its magnetic properties.

Using electromagnets installed on conveyor belts, metal containers can be automatically extracted from waste streams. This is a reliable, simple and efficient technology that allows a large amount of material to be recovered.

The challenge is also to capture the smallest pieces, such as caps, lids, sheets and other closure elements. This waste can pass through the first screening systems and end up in the waste fraction by mistake. The incorporation of additional magnetic separation points allows them to be recovered without having to completely transform the facilities.

Even when a can reaches the wrong fraction, there may still be a new opportunity. Some plants recover the metal before incineration and others do so later from the slag. However, correctly separating the packaging from the start remains the most efficient option.

Recycle more, but also recycle better

According to data from Steel for Packaging Europe, 82% of metal packaging introduced into the European market in 2023 effectively reached recycling operations. This figure represents an increase of two percentage points compared to the previous year and places this material increasingly closer to a completely closed circuit.

But the amount recovered is not the only important indicator. The scrap must meet certain conditions of purity, humidity and density so that it can be melted efficiently. The excessive presence of plastic, aluminum, wood, paper or cardboard may require the application of complementary treatments, such as shredding.

Common quality criteria, more control during selection and correct maintenance of equipment would help improve the traceability of the material and reduce the environmental impact of recycling.

Clear information: inside and outside home

Citizen engagement depends largely on the ease of the system. Well-located containers, understandable instructions, and consistent labels reduce errors and build trust.

Currently, the instructions on how to recycle certain items, especially metal caps, can vary between territories. Harmonizing the colors, symbols and messages would make it easier for people to know what to do with each container, regardless of where they are.

This consistency must also extend beyond homes. We consume more and more products in offices, stations, parks, educational centers or events. If there are only waste bins in these spaces, many recyclable containers inevitably end up in the wrong fraction. Placing selective collection containers next to conventional bins would help maintain the same habits inside and outside the home.

A shared responsibility

The European Regulation on packaging and packaging waste promotes more circular management, but the regulation, alone, cannot close the circle.

Well-designed packaging, accessible collection systems, efficient sorting plants, demanding quality criteria and a well-informed citizenry are needed. When all these pieces work in a coordinated way, the container ceases to be waste and becomes a new raw material.

Recovered cans can be transformed into another can or form part of products as diverse as railway infrastructure, a window frame, a bicycle, a wind turbine, … This ability to return again and again to the production system shows that quality recycling is not the end of the life of a material, but the beginning of the next.