Crown unveils 2013 Sustainability Report, which showcases environmental benefits of steel aerosol cans, celebrates company's culture of sustainability

Elyse Blye

PHILADELPHIA , April 17, 2014 (press release) – Release of Crown’s second Sustainability Report highlights environmental benefits of aerosol cans

The demand for aerosol products is on the rise. With awareness of the recyclability of steel aerosol containers continuing to increase, consumers are attracted by the packaging’s environmental benefits as well as the ease of use and convenience of aerosols themselves. According to the Steel Recycling Institute more than 5,200 municipal locations across the U.S. are accepting empty aerosol cans through ongoing curbside and drop-off recycling programs that serve more than 100 million people. As consumers and businesses around the world join together to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com) recently unveiled the company’s 2013 Sustainability Report, which not only showcases the environmental benefits of steel aerosol cans but also celebrates the culture of sustainability that has defined the company from its earliest days.

The new report from Crown is the company’s second review of developments in its sustainability efforts from an economic, environmental and social perspective. Reflecting the fiscal years 2011 and 2012, it includes third-party industry figures as well as internal data showing progress across key metrics. According to the report, steel recycling rates in North America have risen from 15% in 1988 to 71% in 2012. In that year alone more than 1.3 million tons of tinplate steel were recycled. Further enhancing steel’s sustainability profile is the fact that a package made of recycled steel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 75%, with each ton of recycled steel saving 2,500 pounds of iron ore, 1,400 pounds of coal and 120 pounds of limestone.

“In addition to being 100% recyclable, steel aerosol cans are being recycled at high levels because the material can be continuously used without loss in performance or quality,” said Melissa Quintana, Marketing Manager, CROWN Aerosol Packaging North America. “Beyond the recyclability of the material itself, we are also working as part of the global canmaking industry to make metal packaging even more environmentally-friendly through a strong commitment to package lightweighting.”

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Reducing the thickness of can walls without impacting the critical barrier and strength properties customers require has been a key focus of the industry for decades, and today steel packaging weighs as much as 40% less than it did 30 years ago. This has in turn allowed Crown to produce more aerosol cans with less material and enabled more efficient use of resources by reducing energy consumption down the supply chain. Based upon the company’s technology advances in lightweighting and double seaming, which significantly decreased container weight without sacrificing performance, Crown has been issued a special permit from both the U.S. Department of Transportation and Transport Canada that enables the transportation of pressurized products in lightweighted aerosol containers. This in turns helps customers enhance their own sustainability platforms, thanks to overall resource reduction and weight savings, translating to decreased fuel costs during shipping.

A global leader in environmentally responsible packaging, Crown currently operates in 41 countries around the world, with manufacturing plants strategically located to support both regional and international customers. Like all the company’s business units, CROWN Aerosol Packaging North America also looks to these facilities to identify opportunities for improving their operations. In the company’s 2011 Sustainability Report, the aerosol plant in Faribault, MN was recognized for its use of variable frequency technology to continuously optimize power usage in the facility, reducing annual energy use on production lines by 9%; Crown’s Mexico City aerosol packaging plant was also noted for its eco-friendly process for cleaning and reusing rags that would have been thrown out, lowering the hazardous waste inventory by 82%. In 2013, Crown’s aerosol facility in Sutton, UK was acknowledged for its new apprentice training program design to develop high-quality engineers. The new program has won wide recognition across the industry, including from the British Aerosol Manufacturers Association.

The full report, published in English, can be downloaded at www.crowncork.com/sustainability.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

For more information, contact:

In the United States: Melissa Quintana, Marketing Manager; Tel: 1 (215) 698-5217; Email: melissa.quintana@crowncork.com.

In Europe: Veronique Curulla, Marketing Director; Tel: 33 1 49 18 40 28; Email: veronique.curulla@eur.crowncork.com

For editorial inquiries: Thomas T. Fischer, Vice President Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs; Tel: 1 (215) 552-3720; Email: thomas.fischer@crowncork.com.

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