The tinplate production process is continually being developed to ensure that the manufacture of tinplate cans remains by far the environmental choice for packaging.

Tinplate cans have been used for food packaging since 1810 when a Frenchman, Nicholas Appert, responded to Napoleon's challenge to invent a method of preserving food for the French army.

Appert succeeded, won his award, and now, almost two hundred years later, the tinplate can is one of the world's most used, reliable and recycled forms of packaging. It still performs the same basic function, but today's tinplate is also stronger, convenient to carry, tamper-proof and environmentally sound.

By far the largest application of tinplate is in packaging and it is ideally suited for this purpose, by virtue of it being non-toxic, light in weight, strong, corrosion resistant and easily formed, soldered and welded; it also provides an excellent printing surface. The tin coating has a low melting point, possesses lubricant qualities and imparts a good appearance. Cans made from tinplate are easy to handle, dispose and store. Tinplate is primarily used for packaging foodstuffs and beverages, but it is also used in containers for oils, grease, paints, powdered, polishes, waxes, chemicals and many other products. Aerosol containers and caps and closures are also made from tinplate.

Recent concern for environmental issues surrounding the use of raw materials, packaging waste and recycling has put all forms of packaging under close scrutiny. There are three main reasons why we should send our tinplate cans to be recycled:

1.To reduce our demands on the Earth's limited natural resources (iron ore, limestone & coal) by re-using materials.
2.To ensure tinplate production is as energy-efficient as possible which in turn reduces demands on natural resources.
3.To reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites.

Tin cans are 100% degradable, eco-friendly packs, which do not cause any environmental imbalance. Tinplate packaging is totally recyclable - it can be recycled for infinite number of times without ever changing the properties of steel. Thanks to its magnetic properties - which makes it the easiest type of material to be collected and sorted for recycling.

Tinplate packaging is the best recyclable packaging material - perfectly suited for an age in which commercial success can depend on sound environmental credentials.

Tinplate Cans Today

Over recent years, tinplate used for tinplate cans has become thinner and the overall weight of a drinks can has been reduced by 40% in the past 30 years.

This has been possible due to the immense strength of steel, which allows it to be rolled very thin while remaining an extremely effective form of packaging.

Today, steel-making takes place on a much larger scale worldwide and ever more sophisticated processes have been introduced over recent years. Improvements in tinplate production have enabled consumption of approximately 40% less energy than it did 15 years ago.

Recycle and save energy

Steel recycling is an essential part of steel manufacture because scrap steel is, and always has been, used to make new steel. Today, up to 25% of the metal, which goes into the steel-making furnace, is scrap steel. It is illustrative and noteworthy to compare a situation in which steel is made, on the one hand, solely from virgin raw materials (iron produced from iron ore), and on the other, steel produced wholly from steel scrap.

Studies show that, in such a situation, the production of steel from scrap steel saves up to 75% of the energy required to produce if from the virgin materials. The production of steel for tinplate cans now requires only about 60% of the energy, which would have been otherwise required just ten years ago. The steel industry continues to make great advances in energy efficiency ensuring that the manufacture of tinplate cans is environmentally sound.

Here are some surprising facts about canned foods and how they fit into healthful eating.

Canned Food is Packed at Its Peak, Close to the Source.

Prepared foods, such as soups and stews, are canned within the facilities in which they are prepared to ensure the ultimate in freshness. More than 50 varieties of soups, stews and chili are available in cans, making meal preparation easy!

Once the cans are sealed and heat processed, the food maintains its high eating quality for more than two years and is safe to eat as long as the container is not damaged in any way.

Most canned fruits and veggies contain no preservatives. They're picked and packed at the peak of ripeness, cooked quickly at high temperatures and sterilized in steel cans to keep nutrients in and impurities out.

Most canneries are located just a few miles from the field, ensuring that canned food is packed at the peak of freshness.

Canners use only top quality ingredients, which are picked, prepared and canned within hours.

Canned Food is Good for Your Health.

Almost all canned vegetables and canned fruits are fat-free.

Based on epidemiological studies, canned carrots, as part of an over-healthful diet, have the potential for reducing the risk of cancer.

Canned tomatoes are higher in lycopene than their fresh counterparts. Lycopene appears to be effective in helping to reduce the risk of cancer. In fact, lycopene may be more effective when it is consumed after tomatoes are canned or cooked.

Canned food only needs to be warmed through before serving because it has already been cooked in the can. By keeping the cooking juices, canned foods lose remarkably little of their nutritional value.

Many canned food products are available in low-salt and no-salt alternatives.

Carotenes are antioxidants that provide protection for the body's cells. Canned apricots, carrots, peaches, pumpkin, spinach and sweet potatoes are all high in carotenes.

Canned beans of all types (black beans, red beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, etc.) are often fat-free. They're high in fiber and rich in protein, and they may be used right from the can to add flavor, color and texture to a variety of meatless meals ranging from salads to casseroles. Beans also have antioxidants; the darker the color, the more antioxidants they have!

Canned Foods are Good Sources of Many Nutrients.

Canning is one of the safest ways to preserve foods. To retain peak quality, the shelf life of canned food is at least two years, and the vitamin levels in canned food remain stable during the shelf life.

Canned poultry and fish, both protein foods, are comparable to their fresh-cooked counterparts in nutritional value. Protein is not lost during the canning process. And some varieties of canned fish tend to have higher calcium levels than their freshly cooked counterparts.

Canned food retains its nutrients for up to two years because the can is completely sealed and the food inside is cooked and stored in a vacuum.

Many canned fruits and vegetables are high in Vitamin A. Canned products have comparable levels of Vitamin A to their fresh or frozen counterparts. Most Vitamin C is retained after being canned and remains stable during the two-year shelf life of the product. Canned asparagus, grapefruits and pineapple are significant sources of Vitamin C.