Tin metal is one of the fundamental commodities used by mankind since ancient times being popular for its low melting point and ease of working, its resistance to corrosion and attractive appearance as well as its ability to readily form useful alloys with many other metals. Such a unique combination of properties has led to tin use in a wide range of applications and as a result this versatile metal has had an important role to play in many new technologies. Today tin is also valued as a metal that is generally accepted to be non-toxic and it finds application in many environmentally friendly products.

From the bronze age (when tin was an essential addition to copper), through the development of the tin can (which has now been in use for nearly 200 years), and now as an essential part of the electronic equipment upon which we all depend, tin makes an important contribution to the socio-economic development of society.

Of course tin is a natural resource and together with all other natural resources should be used and managed carefully. There is a growing awareness of the need for the development of responsible and sustainable patterns of consumption and production which is influencing the actions of all metals industries. This inevitably leads to emerging legal and business challenges and opportunities for the industry such as environmental regulation, industrial codes of conduct and increasing stakeholder participation.

The tin producer members of ITRI are committed to respond to new challenges and work towards a responsible and sustainable industry and the ITRI Sustainability Project has been initiated as a step towards that goal. The project encompasses a number of activities to demonstrate the safe production, use, re-use and recycling of the metal and its inorganic compounds. It will generate information to increase the understanding of the tin industry and the many vital applications of the metal, and, together with our work on REACH, will improve the scientific understanding of the interaction of tin with humans and the environment.

ITRI Sustainability Project - Our activities

For further information please contact: kay.nimmo@itri.co.uk