The Ricrea Consortium ensures the recycling of steel packaging, comprising tins, spray cans, tops and capsules, drums and tubs, gift packing tins.
To accomplish the task, it works with the Italian municipalities to encourage, promote and facilitate the segregated collection of the above packaging, shouldering most of the costs arising from this activity.
Full 311 companies, suppliers and importers of steel packaging material, as well as steel packaging and related accessories manufacturers, as well as recyclers are obligatory members of the consortium.
Ricrea’s mission covers communication activities involving the spread of public awareness, and more besides, contributing towards the creation of a culture and environmental education focused on the importance of the separation, recycling and recovery of steel packaging waste.
With this in mind Ricrea is intensifying its efforts with activities that run along three main lines: Schools; Adults/Local Authorities; Companies
Steel packaging has existed for over 200 years and today, thanks to the general public who daily collect and separate steel packaging items, saving them from the landfill, Ricrea manages to ensure the recycling of more than 8 out of 10 products, turning them into new steel to make tracks, beams, manhole covers, rebars, nails, bolts, benches, street lamps, iron gates ... Steel packaging is 100% recyclable over and over. It takes 1,500 tomato cans to make a manhole cover, 200 crown caps to make a wrench. Or again, 5 steel drums to make a chair.
In 2022, Ricrea had recycled almost 418 thousand tons of steel packaging, helping to bring the following economic and environmental benefits:
- 6.750 TJ of primary energy saved;
- 398.000 tons of raw material saved;
- 542.000 tons of CO2 avoided.
