The Executive Board and the AGM of the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging (APEAL) has unanimously elected U. S. Steel Košice Customer Technical Services Director Viliam Gašpar as its new President, replacing Tony Waite of Tata Steel Europe. He took up the position of President on January 1 of this year. “Under the leadership of Tony Waite, APEAL expanded its membership so as to take in all five packaging steel producers in Europe,“ says Viliam Gašpar, adding: “At the same time the Association succeeded in widening the understanding of the value of multiple recycling for true circulation, and actively contributed to the formulation of secondary regulations in the package of measures supporting the circular economy. Recycling levels reached a record figure of 82.5% in Europe three years earlier than planned. This sends a clear message to all the parties involved that steel for packaging is a tried-and-tested, sustainable solution that is ideal for the circular economy in the 21st century.“ In Viliam Gašpar‘s view, APEAL still has to face many challenges, but the European Commission has achieved a global first with its European Green Deal. “Our aim now will be to tighten the loop of steel recycling by supporting separated waste disposal, but also to show how steel packaging can increase efficiency in usage of resources in Europe by helping to reduce the amount of food that gets wasted.“