In the wake of the Trump administration's tariff hike to 50 per cent on aluminium excluding the scrap, alongside the UK coming into a discussion for relief, a rising concern has levitated in Europe. A silent "scrap battle" arises from Europe, which is deemed to have lost a vast amount of aluminium scrap and is said to be going into the US domains.
The demand surge for European aluminium scrap after the doubling of the US tariff on primary aluminium is creating a threat to the in-house recycling facilities. This has been a concern since European aluminium scrap is referred to as "strategic raw material" enriched with energy and value. Hence, an excessive outflow of scrap can affect the continent's sustainability goals.
Other threats include climate goals, energy security, and the foundations of Europe’s clean tech and defense industries.
Mr Evangelos Mytilineos, the CEO and President of Metlen Energy & Metals stated, "Europe is facing a silent crisis: aluminum scrap—the primary raw material for recycling—is leaving the continent at record levels. I fully support imposing restrictions on aluminium scrap exports. This is not protectionism; it's about consistency, resilience, and safeguarding Europe's future. We must stop giving away our competitive advantage and start defending it."
In 2021, the total US aluminium scrap import value stood at USD 1.23 billion, of which USD 35.4 million was imported from Europe. In the subsequent year, the US total imports rose by 15.45 per cent, standing at USD 1.42 billion, and Europe's contribution stood at USD 17.7 million, representing a dip of almost 50 per cent from last year.
However, in 2023, the total import was USD 1.2 billion, representing a downward trend, from which USD 33.5 million was Europe's contribution, representing a hike of 46.17 per cent.
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