Latest news with #aluminium
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Could aluminium become the packaging 'champion'?
In front of me is a line-up of aluminium cans, but not a drink in these cans have been designed to hold toiletries like shampoo, shower gel and hand wash, condiments like ketchup and household cleaning products.I'm at the London research and development centre for Meadow, a start-up that has developed a new packaging idea is to move products currently packaged in plastic to aluminium founders believe it could be the next big step in reducing the amount of plastic packaging in the world, thanks to the high recycling rate of aluminium cans compared to plastic - 81% vs 52%, according to figures from the National Packaging Waste Database. Meadow has taken the typical aluminium drink can and tweaked it, so that it will slot into a cannister, which can be equipped with all sorts of dispensing depending on the contents, you could have a pump, a squeeze top, spray nozzle, screw top lid or other can itself has a sealed top and crinkles at the edges to make it clear the contents aren't to be the can is empty, it can be taken out for recycling, and replaced with a new can manufacturer Ball, which already offers recyclable aluminium packaging for shampoos and lotions, has invested in Meadow and will offer the system to the big personal care brands it works with. "We realised the greenest container already exists - the aluminium can. So we thought, what do we need to do, to take it to new industries?" says Victor Ljungberg, Meadow's co-founder and chief executive, who is based in Stockholm, Sweden. Aluminium has strong recyclability credentials; it is considered to be infinitely recyclable, compared with plastic, which loses its quality after being recycled several is also lighter than glass, so the energy needed to transport aluminium cans is significantly less than glass bottles. The wine industry has already trialled full size aluminium bottles, with organic brand Vinca rolling them out in March through Tesco. Aldi this year also launched an own-label wine in an aluminium industries are set to make the jump, as new EU packaging and waste regulations come into effect in January 2030, stating that all packaging should be at least 70% recyclable. By 2038, the minimum level of recyclability for packaging will jump to 80%. So what might hold back aluminium?Producing new aluminium is energy intensive. It requires almost twice as much energy to produce than glass. Calculating the environmental impact of aluminium versus glass is complicated and often the best choice depends on what is being is definitely a factor, according to Mark Lansley, the owner and chief executive of Broadland Drinks, which supplied the aluminium-bottled wine to Aldi, and has another similar launch planned this explains Mr Lansley, is a third lighter than glass, saving about 900 grams of CO2 emissions - but is four times more admits to absorbing the extra cost alongside Aldi in the name of innovation, but says that aluminium becoming more widely adopted relies on its cost coming down."We've got to get over this cost. We've got to sell the benefits and better spell out the lower carbon footprint that aluminium has," says Mr will also need to adapt to different looking packaging. Mr Lansley says the wine industry already tackled this challenge when it introduced screw tops, but when it comes to packaging, there are just some situations where only a glass wine bottle will do."Aluminium bottles are lighter and don't shatter, so they are much better for a picnic, or by the pool. But then you've got tradition, and what folks are used to. "You might be opening a bottle of wine to celebrate with friends, or as a reward and relaxation. A glass bottle of wine is embedded in that culture," says Mr Lansley. A lot of what consumers associate with their favourite brands has been intentionally driven by those brands, and changing that could take a lot of convincing too, notes Jamie Stone, packaging expert at global innovation consultancy PA Consulting."Big brands have spent decades and invested billions in educating customers on distinctive packaging - think of the iconic Heinz ketchup bottle, a bottle of Flash spray, or Kikkoman soy sauce," Mr Stone, who is London-based, points out."Aluminium can't easily make shaped packs. That's a challenge when shape forms a key part of brand identity and consumer recognition. Think how many everyday products - like sauces, shampoo, washing up liquid, or moisturisers - rely on squeezable packaging. Aluminium, being rigid, removes that functionality."He adds: "In many categories, consumers want to see the product they're buying, whether it's the colour of a juice, the consistency of a lotion, or the thickness of a sauce. Aluminium's opacity removes that visual connection." Mark Armstrong is a design director at creative agency Marks, which has designed packaging for Starbucks. He says one reason we haven't seen aluminium packaging become the norm, is that manufacturers have long-established plastic packaging would require significant modification or replacement to handle aluminium, at a high cost. And, most food-grade aluminium needs internal lacquer or polymer coatings, which must also meet recyclability guidelines, Mr Armstrong adds."Aluminium is arguably the champion of recyclable materials. But the options for dispensing and reseal-ability often rely on a secondary plastic material. This then compromises the recyclability for consumers if it requires them to separate out materials to be recycled, which greatly weakens the appeal," says Mr in plastic's sustainability also can't be ignored, from the development of ones that can be infinitely recycled, to those that are that reason, Jayne Paramor, sustainable packaging lead at sustainability consultancy Anthesis, argues that plastic may still end up as brands' packaging of choice."Plastics remain highly suited to many packaging applications due to their durability, inertness and design flexibility," says Ms Paramor.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU, US to form metals alliance to counterbalance Chinese overcapacity
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union and United States will develop a metals alliance to mitigate the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets as part of their trade deal, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Monday. Sefcovic said that, in their hours of discussions to reach an agreement, U.S. officials came to realise the U.S. and EU steel sectors faced the same problem. As such, EU steel and aluminium makers will be granted a quota system with minimal or zero tariffs to replace U.S. President Donald Trump's 50% import tariffs. The system is yet to be finalised. "The agreement is clear prospect of joint action on steel, aluminium, copper and the derivatives in what I'd like to call a metals alliance, effectively creating a joint ring-fence around our respective economies through tariff rate quotas at historic levels with preferential treatment," Sefcovic told a press conference. "It became very, very clear that if it comes to steel and metals we are not each other's problem." he continued. For Europe, finding a way to remove U.S. steel tariffs has become even more urgent as its smelters are losing scrap supplies to U.S. plants. Scrap is a major input in smelters because it is sold at a discount to primary metal and is less energy-intensive to turn into a finished product. The possible alliance and quota system reveal growing momentum to counter Chinese output. At the Group of Seven (G7) nations finance meeting in May, officials agreed to tackle "excessive imbalances" in the global economy without explicitly naming China. "I have to say that despite the strenuous efforts of my colleagues and myself and several long meetings with my Chinese counterparts, unfortunately, the list of the accumulated issues on the table will not get shorter, but just grew longer," Sefcovic said, referring to last week's EU-China Summit. "Clearly the issue is overcapacity. The issue is linked with what we perceive as illegal subsidies." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
EU, US to form metals alliance to counterbalance Chinese overcapacity
BRUSSELS, July 28 (Reuters) - The European Union and United States will develop a metals alliance to mitigate the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets as part of their trade deal, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Monday. Sefcovic said that, in their hours of discussions to reach an agreement, U.S. officials came to realise the U.S. and EU steel sectors faced the same problem. As such, EU steel and aluminium makers will be granted a quota system with minimal or zero tariffs to replace U.S. President Donald Trump's 50% import tariffs. The system is yet to be finalised. "The agreement is clear prospect of joint action on steel, aluminium, copper and the derivatives in what I'd like to call a metals alliance, effectively creating a joint ring-fence around our respective economies through tariff rate quotas at historic levels with preferential treatment," Sefcovic told a press conference. "It became very, very clear that if it comes to steel and metals we are not each other's problem." he continued. For Europe, finding a way to remove U.S. steel tariffs has become even more urgent as its smelters are losing scrap supplies to U.S. plants. Scrap is a major input in smelters because it is sold at a discount to primary metal and is less energy-intensive to turn into a finished product. The possible alliance and quota system reveal growing momentum to counter Chinese output. At the Group of Seven (G7) nations finance meeting in May, officials agreed to tackle "excessive imbalances" in the global economy without explicitly naming China. "I have to say that despite the strenuous efforts of my colleagues and myself and several long meetings with my Chinese counterparts, unfortunately, the list of the accumulated issues on the table will not get shorter, but just grew longer," Sefcovic said, referring to last week's EU-China Summit. "Clearly the issue is overcapacity. The issue is linked with what we perceive as illegal subsidies."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU, US to form metals alliance to counterbalance Chinese overcapacity
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union and United States will develop a metals alliance to mitigate the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets as part of their trade deal, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Monday. Sefcovic said that, in their hours of discussions to reach an agreement, U.S. officials came to realise the U.S. and EU steel sectors faced the same problem. As such, EU steel and aluminium makers will be granted a quota system with minimal or zero tariffs to replace U.S. President Donald Trump's 50% import tariffs. The system is yet to be finalised. "The agreement is clear prospect of joint action on steel, aluminium, copper and the derivatives in what I'd like to call a metals alliance, effectively creating a joint ring-fence around our respective economies through tariff rate quotas at historic levels with preferential treatment," Sefcovic told a press conference. "It became very, very clear that if it comes to steel and metals we are not each other's problem." he continued. For Europe, finding a way to remove U.S. steel tariffs has become even more urgent as its smelters are losing scrap supplies to U.S. plants. Scrap is a major input in smelters because it is sold at a discount to primary metal and is less energy-intensive to turn into a finished product. The possible alliance and quota system reveal growing momentum to counter Chinese output. At the Group of Seven (G7) nations finance meeting in May, officials agreed to tackle "excessive imbalances" in the global economy without explicitly naming China. "I have to say that despite the strenuous efforts of my colleagues and myself and several long meetings with my Chinese counterparts, unfortunately, the list of the accumulated issues on the table will not get shorter, but just grew longer," Sefcovic said, referring to last week's EU-China Summit. "Clearly the issue is overcapacity. The issue is linked with what we perceive as illegal subsidies." Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
EU starts surveillance of scrap metal trade as supplies decline
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission has started monitoring imports and exports of scrap metal including steel, aluminium and copper after stark industry warnings of shortages and the risk of smelter shutdowns, it said. EU smelters have been struggling for some time to secure supplies of scrap metal, a major input and an integral part of the EU's push to reduce carbon emissions. Much of the scrap is exported to Asia and Turkey. U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on primary steel and aluminium have exacerbated the problem as dealers have started selling scrap aluminium to U.S. smelters. "The EU is experiencing a decline in metal scrap availability ... The introduction of a 50% tariff by the United States on a wide range of steel and aluminium products (excluding scrap) may further worsen this issue," the Commission said in a statement on Wednesday. The Commission will decide what action to take by the end of September based on the data. Meanwhile, duties targeting exports to the U.S. could take effect sooner if the EU fails to reach a trade agreement with Trump and decides to retaliate with countermeasures.
