MULTI-USE PACKAGING
SOLVING SINGLE-
USE METAL
PACKAGING
WASTE IN
NEW ZEALAND
From aluminium drink cans and food tins to foil trays and steel packaging, metal containers are everywhere. Designed for single use, much of this material is still tossed in landfills instead of being recovered and reused. In New Zealand, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of packaging, including aluminium and steel, end up buried each year, wasting resources that could be recycled infinitely.
In this blog, we look at the true impact of single-use packaging, explore how multi-use and recyclable metal systems can help, and highlight how smart design, robust recycling, and stronger policy can move Aotearoa toward a more circular future.
WHAT IS THE
REAL COST OF
SINGLE-USE
PACKAGING?
Packaging waste isn’t just a plastic problem. Single-use metal packaging, from drink cans to food tins and foil-based containers, also contributes to New Zealand’s waste challenge. Despite being one of the easiest materials to recycle, aluminium and steel are still under-recovered, meaning valuable resources are lost to landfill instead of re-entering the manufacturing stream.
CONVENIENCE
WITH CONSEQUENCES
Metal packaging is popular for good reason. Aluminium and steel are durable, hygienic, and lightweight, offering excellent protection for food and beverages. But like other single-use packaging, these containers often have a very short lifecycle, sometimes just hours, compared to the hundreds of years they can take to break down if discarded.
Mining and refining virgin metals is also resource-intensive. Producing aluminium from raw bauxite ore is one of the most energy-demanding industrial processes globally. The good news? Recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy required for virgin production, while recycled steel uses up to 75% less energy than creating new steel.
Every can or tin that’s thrown away instead of recycled represents a missed opportunity.
THE
RECYCLING
ILLUSION
Unlike plastics, which are often technically but not practically recyclable, metal packaging has a far higher recycling potential. Aluminium and steel can be melted down and reformed endlessly without losing quality. The challenge lies in collection: too many cans, trays, and foil products are still ending up in general waste streams.
Kerbside recycling systems do capture some of this material, but contamination, regional inconsistencies, and poor recovery infrastructure mean we’re still sending valuable metals offshore or to landfill. This gap is where dedicated recycling solutions, like those offered by Phoenix, can make a measurable difference.
MULTI-USE AND
REcyclable
metal
Packaging
While single-use packaging dominates, multi-use and highly recyclable options made from metal are leading the charge toward circularity. Think of refillable tins for coffee or tea, stainless-steel kegs in the beverage industry, or aluminium packaging designed specifically for return and recycling systems. These solutions are built to last, be reused, or be infinitely recycled, dramatically reducing the need for virgin materials and keeping waste out of landfills.
WHY METAL
PACKAGING MAKES
ENVIRONMENTAL SENSE
Unlike complex plastic or composite materials, metal packaging is naturally circular. It can be recycled endlessly without losing quality, cutting emissions, conserving resources, and helping to reduce environmental impact. In fact, metal is one of the most efficiently recovered materials in the world, making it a powerful enabler of the circular economy.
THE CHALLENGES:
IT’S NOT ALWAYS SIMPLE
Despite its potential, metal packaging still faces hurdles in achieving full circularity:
Collection gaps: Too many cans and tins are disposed of as general waste.
Infrastructure inconsistency: Regional recycling systems vary, leading to uneven recovery rates.
Design issues: Some metal packaging is combined with plastics or other materials that complicate recycling.
These challenges mean businesses often default to single-use systems, even when better options exist. Overcoming them requires investment in recovery systems, clear labelling, and packaging designed with recyclability in mind.
Recycling as
the Bridge to Circularity
Recycling is essential to closing the loop on metal packaging waste. Between 2018 and 2021, New Zealand exported significant volumes of recyclable material offshore due to limited local processing. Even today, tonnes of aluminium and steel end up in landfills annually, despite their high recycling value.
Kerbside bins accept cans and tins, but contamination rates and mixed material packaging reduce the amount successfully recovered. Improved collection systems and specialist recycling services are key to solving this gap.
At Phoenix, we specialise in collecting and processing metal packaging that might otherwise be lost. From aluminium food containers and foil-based products to steel tins and industrial metal packaging, we ensure these materials are responsibly recovered and sent to smelters to be reborn as new products. The only prerequisite is that this material must be clean in order for us to successfully recycle it. This process not only conserves resources but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint of packaging production.
The Role of Businesses and Product Design
By the time packaging reaches the recycling bin, much of its environmental impact is already set. Businesses have the power to make upstream decisions that determine whether packaging is recoverable in the first place.
Choosing aluminium or steel over complex plastics, avoiding unnecessary coatings or labels, and designing mono-material containers all make recycling easier and more efficient. Durable, refillable packaging models can also reduce waste at the source.
Globally, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes are holding packaging producers accountable for managing end-of-life recovery. While mandatory EPR for packaging isn’t yet in place in New Zealand, forward-thinking brands are already moving in that direction.
WHAT NEW ZEALAND
IS DOING ABOUT
PACKAGING WASTE
New Zealand has made progress on phasing out problematic plastics, banning plastic straws, cutlery, and produce bags, which removes millions of items annually. But a truly circular economy requires more than plastic bans. It means capturing and reusing valuable materials like aluminium and steel more effectively.
Stronger policy measures, such as mandatory EPR for all packaging types and standardised recycling systems nationwide, would ensure high-value metals are consistently recovered. Circular economy strategies should focus on materials that are inherently recyclable and energy-efficient to reprocess, such as metals, rather than perpetuating reliance on single-use plastics and mixed materials.
At Phoenix, we’re not waiting for policy to catch up. Our certified metal recycling services help businesses recover aluminium and steel packaging today, providing transparent, traceable solutions that close the loop on material use.
CLOSING THE LOOP
ON METAL
PACKAGING WASTE
Tackling packaging waste takes a system-wide approach - designing smarter, reusing more, recycling better, and holding producers accountable. While single-use packaging still dominates, momentum is growing for circular alternatives that protect our planet and future generations. At Phoenix, we play a vital role in this shift by recycling metal packaging and supporting recovery systems that keep valuable materials in use. Because when recycling, smart design, and policy align, packaging waste isn’t the end of the story, it’s the beginning of something better.
