Europe’s aluminium scrap exports to the US have risen by 243 per cent, highlighting a growing concern over the continent’s access to strategic raw materials as it pursues recycling, decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness. Evangelos Mytilineos, Executive Chairman of METLEN, raised the issue, linking scrap outflows to the broader challenges facing European industry, energy security and strategic autonomy. Aluminium scrap outflows raise industrial concerns Mytilineos referred to the contrasting US tariff treatment of aluminium products, i.e., a 50 per cent tariff on primary aluminium, compared with zero tariff on scrap . With European aluminium scrap exports to the US increasing by 243 per cent, he questioned whether Europe could strengthen its industrial base while allowing valuable...
The US aluminium used beverage can (UBC) scrap price benchmark tracked by Argus recorded a mixed performance over the third quarter of 2026, declining in July before rising in August and September. The monthly average increased from USD 2,322.89 per tonne in July to USD 2,491.22 per tonne in August and USD 2,602.51 per tonne in September, indicating a sustained recovery in the benchmark over the three months. July: Prices decline despite a high opening The benchmark began July at USD 2,464.98 per tonne on July 1, before falling sharply to USD 2,270.76 per tonne on July 3. The price remained at that level on July 2 and July 6, the lowest recorded price for the month. It subsequently recovered gradually, reaching USD 2,319.86 per tonne on July 10 and USD 2,328.63 per tonne on July 22....
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Specialised in plasma-based technology for heavy industry and defence, PyroGenesis has completed manufacturing a plasma torch system for Constellium . A significant step toward aluminium furnace electrification, the system will be installed in the company’s casthouse remelting furnace to replace conventional heating with cleaner, sustainable methods. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Global ALuminium Industry Outlook 2026 across the value chain Plasma-based electrification is considered a cleaner and scalable alternative to fuel sources, promoting the industry’s decarbonisation and sustainability goals . The system components of the technology are currently being delivered to a European facility of Constellium, to continue over the next five weeks. PyroGenesis...
On March 1, a Sunday afternoon, a call that shocked the leaders at Novelis, yet again. The call informed of another fire breakout at the firm's facility in Greensboro, Georgia, dedicated to aluminium recycling. According to the call made, Joe Bashore, the Greene County Fire Public Safety, Emergency Management/Homeland Security Director, told The Union-Recorder, "This explosion was pretty significant. I live 5 miles from here and heard it. It kind of rattled my house, as well." The fire broke out after an explosion occurred in an equipment piece, which further led to the lighting up of the entire equipment. Nonetheless, it was positive that the fire did not cause injuries to the employees or the first responders. Due to this unprecedented incident, the operations of the aluminium recycling...
If 2024 was the year aluminium demand normalised, 2025 is the year scrap becomes the pressure valve. Global cumulative aluminium consumption reached 100.8 million tonnes in 2024, with 28.4 million tonnes supplied by recycled aluminium. That share, already above 28 per cent, is not a marginal contribution. It is a structural layer of the market. And it sits beneath a primary system that is tightening rather than expanding. Primary aluminium production moved from 72.7 million tonnes in 2024 to 73.9 million tonnes in 2025, with a forecast of 75.3 million tonnes in 2026. On paper, that looks like growth. In reality, it is constrained growth. China is approaching its 45 million tonne capacity cap (whereas some speculate the primary production has exceeded 45 million tonnes in 2025 already),...
A long-debated industrial project in Benson has cleared its final regulatory hurdle, but the conversation around it is far from over. Aluminum Dynamics has received the last permit required from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), allowing the company to continue construction and eventually operate its aluminum recycling facility in the city. While the approval marks a milestone for the project, it has intensified concerns among local residents and advocacy groups who say their voices have not been adequately heard. To learn about the global aluminium outlook, download our report: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 Community concerns over air and water Opposition group Health Over Wealth Benson has been vocal throughout the permitting process and is now suing both...
The aluminium beverage can-recycling performance of Europe continues to strengthen, offering a boost to the region’s broader climate and circular economy ambitions. As declared in the joint report from Metal Packaging Europe and European Aluminium, the can recycling rate across the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland reached 76.3 per cent in 2023. To learn about the global aluminium outlook, download our report: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 The data indicates the trend of steady progress rather than a sudden spike. Volumes of aluminium cans placed on the market rose by 4 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), while recycling tonnages, at a faster pace, increased 7 per cent, recording better collection efficiency as well as higher material recovery. The recycled volumes delivered...
Ertan Çoğul, a scrap dealer in Bursa (a city in Northwestern Turkey), purchased a 22-tonne Boeing 747 for TRY 80,000 (USD 1.8 thousand) after a municipal project to turn the aircraft into an aeroplane cafe was cancelled. Today, the plane’s estimated scrap value has risen to approx TRY 2.5 million (USD 57.2 thousand). To learn about the global aluminium outlook, download our report: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 Çoğul has been operating in the scrap industry in Bursa since 1988, and bought the aircraft in 2017. The plane was originally transported from Istanbul during the term of Mayor Recep Altepe. However, after the mayor resigned, the project was shelved, and the craft was sold to the recycling sector. Also Read: The Ghana government backs the recycling sector as the Deputy...
A visit by Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Samson Ahi, to the Shai Hills facility of Recyclers Ghana Ltd has drawn attention to the company’s export contribution and the pressures facing the recycling industry. To learn about the global aluminium outlook, download our report: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 The trip was part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry to engage directly with industrial operators, understand how they function on the ground, and assess what support may be required to help local manufacturers expand and remain competitive. Speaking during the visit, the company’s manager, Manesh Kumar Jangir, outlined the firm’s development since it began operations in 2019. He said Recyclers Ghana produces refined lead, plastic chips, granules,...
Under the theme “Turn Your Can into Climate Action,” as initiated by the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), the 30th edition of its flagship Can Collection Day was celebrated. The main aim of this event is to turn recycling into a powerful nationwide movement, encouraging everyone to take responsibility for the climate. Theme of Can Collection Day this year Celebrated on the same day as Valentine’s Day, UAE communities came together to show their dedication to the environment by participating in collective recycling initiatives. This effort is based on the idea that taking action against climate change starts with the small and everyday choices people as a community make. This initiative, marking its 30th year in 2026, has transformed from a small UAE campaign into one of the most...
The global sustainability narrative continues to evolve as policymakers, industries and communities reassess how resources are produced, reused and managed. Over the past week, developments across Europe and Asia -along with policy signals from India, reflected opportunities embedded in the transition toward a more circular and low-carbon future. Policy and industry Aluminium scrap exports have become a point of contention within Europe, dividing policymakers and recyclers. A global recycling industry body stated that the European Commission's proposed limits on scrap aluminium exports are unnecessary and could harm the circular economy. The restriction, implemented in November, was designed to keep more metal within the European Union (EU) so the domestic industry does not face...
Recycling of aluminium coffee capsules, in France, is rapidly increasing with the right public awareness and behaviour towards reusing, reflecting both progress and persistent challenges in sorting practices. A survey of 1,977 users taken between November 20 and December 9, 2025, revealed that a quarter of participants make use of aluminium coffee capsules. The Associationpour le Recyclage des Capsules en Aluminium (ARCA), a French initiative, ensures 100 per cent of aluminium coffee capsules are recycled and is looking to measure the factors in aluminium capsule sorting practices for understanding the current challenges and push recycling further. Numbers showing where the recycling of coffee capsules stands A market research analyst from FMI deems that the recycling systems of the...
Ireland’s effort to reshape recycling habits is showing scale. More than 2.4 billion plastic bottles and aluminium cans have been collected since the launch of the country’s deposit return scheme, according to new figures released as the initiative marks its second anniversary. The programme, managed by Re-turn, has rapidly built a nationwide collection network. Sensoneo - the Slovakia-based company that delivered the end-to-end IT solution for Re-turn - reported that 3,133 active collection points are now operating, supported by 2,798 reverse vending machines (RVMs) installed across the state in less than two years. Participation has broadened alongside the infrastructure. Nearly 12,200 products spanning PET plastic bottles and aluminium cans have been registered under the scheme, which...
On Monday, a global recycling industry body informed that the European Commission's proposed limits on scrap aluminium exports are unnecessary and could actually harm the circular economy. Dating back to November, the Commission had implemented a restriction on these exports to keep the metal within the European Union (EU), ensuring that the domestic industry does not feel the weight of shortage. The move that is creating buzz The Commission’s move had been backed by the aluminium lobby, the European Aluminium, which mainly urged the policymakers to impose the export fees on the material. On the contrary, the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR), based out of Brussels, representing 37 national recycling federations, mentioned that the idea of an EU export ban or aluminium scrap trade...
Aluminium scrap is quickly becoming a crucial battleground for the global metals industry. There is a mix of changing trade patterns, soaring prices, stricter regulations and urgent decarbonisation goals all coming together. Europe is increasingly worried about scrap leakage, while Asia is becoming more reliant on secondary metals. This shift is quietly transforming the delicate balance of availability, competitiveness and sustainability across various markets. A tension over the EU's AL scrap? The Secretary General of the Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE), Mario Conserva, with the CEO of Novelis Europe, Emilio Braghi, has called upon the EU to put a stop to the export of aluminium scrap . Why such demands? It indicates that Europe’s supply of secondary aluminium is at...
As early photovoltaic or PV solar panel installations are nearing the end of their operational lifespan, solar panel recycling is turning out to be a central concern. With global solar capacity expansion in process, the focus is shifting toward an efficient and responsible implementation of PV modules after decommissioning. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Global ALuminium Industry Outlook 2026 across the value chain In the past two decades, global installation of PV solar panels has shot up. Most of these were developed to operate for 25 to 30 years. Global installed capacity in 2024 exceeded 2.2 TW, with nearly 600 GW . As these systems retire, limited recycling infrastructure could lead to a growing volume of electronic waste. According to the International...
Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the largest company among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in the aluminium industry, has achieved a major construction milestone at its aluminium recycling plant in Al Taweelah, with the facility’s giant melting furnace charged with aluminium scrap for the first time. The development is an indication of the shift towards domestic recycled aluminium production to bridge the bauxite sourcing gap caused by Guinea’s policy of revoking bauxite mining licences from foreign countries in August 2025 to boost state control. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 across the value chain The outcome marks a significant step closer to the completion of the Al Taweelah aluminium recycling plant...
For years, aluminium strength was measured in smelters and megawatts. Primary metal sat at the heart of industrial growth, and power determined who could scale and who could not. That formula is starting to lose its hold. In both China and the United States - the world’s two largest aluminium markets, the focus is shifting away from energy-intensive primary production and toward a material once treated as secondary material in literal sense: aluminium scrap . The US has already taken a decisive step in that direction. China has been found to be increasing its secondary aluminium consumption and hence its imports to a great extent – but the question remains whether the country is shifting its focus from primary aluminium to secondary metal. China’s aluminium consumption profile provides...
The European Commission has launched an essential public consultation with a specific emphasis on aluminium scrap availability and safeguarding its supplies within the European Union (EU), to achieve the green transition by meeting recycling and downstream manufacturing goals. Led by the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, the process commenced on December 19, 2025, and will accept submissions till January 31, 2026. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Outlook 2026 insights across the value chain The initiative is an attempt to assess whether or not the aluminium industry may require trade policy interventions. Seeking stakeholder contribution, it is to evaluate whether current trade patterns, influenced by increasing aluminium scrap export, risk...
End-of-life management of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is fast emerging as a challenge and a strategic priority for manufacturing industries worldwide. Especially, aluminium circularity is becoming a focal point considering the metal accounts for more than about 85 per cent of PV component materials like frames and mounting structures. Truth to be told, solar waste is a growing concern now with the rapid rise in PV installations globally. In 2024, global installed capacity exceeded 2.2 TW, with nearly 600 GW added in a single year. Going by the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) estimation, around 1.7-8 million tonnes of waste are likely to be generated from PV modules by 2030, and that by 2050, is expected to soar to between 60 and 78 million tonnes, a substantial share...
