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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Every Can Counts US has reportedly partnered with Open Water to take part in a publicity drive dedicated to away-from-home aluminium beverage cans recycling at the home stadium of the LA Clippers basketball team. Open Water is a beverage brand that sells water in aluminium cans. As part of the campaign, more than 1,200 aluminium cans were placed inside a Clippers-themed recycling cage at Intuite Dome, an eye-catching structure built in California to demonstrate the real-world value of recycling used beverage cans at events. To know about the future market of aluminium recycling, prebook our report Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 at a special price “Intuit Dome is redefining what sustainability can look like in professional sports venues, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner...
The Paris Packaging Week, to be held from February 5-6, 2026, will be attended by Tom Giddings, Executive Director, Alupro. As per the official source, he will discuss pioneering progress in aerosol recycling at the event, which is taking place at the Expo Porte de Versailles, assembling delegates and exhibitors to discuss global developments in aerosol, beverage packaging etc., to highlight recycling behaviour and promote sustainability. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Outlook 2026 insights across the value chain At the Paris Packaging Week, Giddings will be presenting on the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative (UKARI), which has contributed to the national aerosol recycling performance. Addressing the broad and spread-out base of the programme, he commented,...
Recycling and sustainability are increasingly shaping aluminium markets. Scrap availability, energy costs and carbon rules are influencing where metal is produced, how it is processed and which regions gain or lose competitiveness. Developments across India, Europe and Southeast Asia show how recycling has shifted from an environmental objective to a core element of aluminium supply chains. India’s aluminium scrap market has undergone a structural shift over the past decade, with scrap moving from a marginal input to the backbone of secondary aluminium and alloy production. Imports nearly doubled from 0.88 million tonnes in CY’15 to around 2 million tonnes in CY’25, pushing import dependence to about 85 per cent. Growth has been steady, delivering a decade-long CAGR of roughly 8.6 per...
Mario Conserva, Secretary General of the Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE), recently voiced his concern for Europe’s aluminium scrap export scenario, highlighting dire circumstances that await. Seconding the CEO of Novelis Europe, Emilio Braghi, who drew attention to the matter, Conserva shared the same opinion. Both fear that by producing less than 15 per cent of primary aluminium, Europe may lose the secondary resource by exporting most of the aluminium scrap to Asia and the US. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with Outlook 2026 insights across the value chain Referring to an interview between Corriere della Sera and Emilio Braghi, Mario Conserva mentioned that in 2024, the EU exported a huge quantity of aluminium scrap, which “exceeded 1.2...
A decade ago, aluminium scrap accounted for a relatively small share of India’s metals trade, with primary aluminium forming the backbone of supply for most downstream applications. But that hierarchy no longer holds. By 2025, aluminium scrap had moved from the sideline to the centre of India’s secondary aluminium and alloy production. Imports crossed the 2 million tonne mark for the first time, and the country remained nearly 85 per cent dependent on overseas scrap. What was once a supplementary input had quietly become indispensable. India’s aluminium scrap imports rose steadily over the past decade, almost doubling from 0.88 million tonnes in CY’15 to nearly 2 million tonnes in CY’25. Steady growth was measured rather than dramatic - imports edged up from 0.92 million tonnes in CY’16...
European aluminium and packaging industry bodies have joined together to tackle low recycling rates for small aluminium packaging formats, such as coffee capsules, foil lids, and confectionery wraps that often escape effective recovery across Europe. The initiative, officially launched on January 1, 2026, is led by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) in partnership with Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), aiming to improve collection, sorting, and recycling at scale across Europe against the backdrop of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). To know more about the global primary aluminium industry 2026 outlook, pre-book the report " Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 ” at a special price. Why small aluminium is falling through the cracks While aluminium cans...
Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Central), operator of the Tokaido Shinkansen between Tokyo and Osaka, is recycling retired bullet train cars into high-purity aluminium alloys for reuse across transport infrastructure and consumer products. Instead of treating old rolling stock as scrap, the operator is integrating recycled material back into its supply chain. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain To remove coatings and other residues while extracting high-purity aluminium alloys, the bullet train operator is using a patented technology. The project represents a departure from previous procedures, in which retired train cars were mainly downcycled for use as deoxidisers in steelmaking because removing paint, insulation and adhesives...
The Juda Zion Community Church Youth Group has reportedly collected about 5,000 pounds of aluminium cans and raised more than USD 1,800 in 2025, turning routine recycling into a quantifiable social impact. To know about 2026 aluminium recycling market, prebook our report: Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2026 The group donated funds to the Juda School Food Backpack Program, Men's Resource Centre of Green County, ADRC of Green County, St. Vincent De Paul of Monroe, Aster Assisted Living Activity Fund, stained glass window repair fund at the church, food pantry at the church, Green County Family of Promise, Loaves and Fishes, Green County Sexual Assault Recovery Program and Christmas gifts for Juda School District students. The group noted the ongoing can collection cage at the Bank of New...
Paragon Union Bhd made a partnership with Asahi Seiren Co., Ltd., which is the largest secondary aluminium producer in Japan. This partnership is all about grabbing the growth opportunities in the booming global recycled aluminium market, which is currently valued at over USD 160 billion. The partnership will lead to the creation of Paragon Asahi Seiren Sdn Bhd, a joint venture where Paragon Union’s fully owned subsidiary, Paragon Metal Sdn Bhd, will take a 60 per cent share, while Asahi Seiren will own the remaining 40 per cent. Paragon Metal’s deep understanding of the local market and its solid industrial presence, with Asahi Seiren’s nearly 90 years of expertise in aluminium recycling and its unique processing technologies, mark the joint venture to stand out. Asahi Seiren is...
Europe’s drive to build a circular aluminium economy is at risk of backfiring, as large volumes of scrap collected across the bloc are being bought up by overseas players, processed into new metal, and sold back into the EU market, according to the world’s largest aluminium recycler, Novelis. Emilio Braghi, executive vice-president at Novelis, warned that the European recycling industry could face what he described as a “terminal decline” unless Brussels follows through on its pledge to restrict scrap exports to destinations such as China and the United States. Speaking to the Financial Times, Braghi said the loss of scrap would undermine both Europe’s industrial base and its climate ambitions. Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain...
Image source: EGA Emirates Global Aluminium is strengthening its role in Europe’s aluminium value chain, announcing a major expansion of its German subsidiary, EGA Leichtmetall, that will transform the site into one of the world’s most advanced recycling hubs. The company is positioning the project as part of a broader strategy to meet growing European demand for high-quality aluminium made from post-consumer scrap - particularly from automotive and aviation customers. The new facility, to be built near Hannover, represents an investment of about USD 170 million, with first hot metal expected in 2028. It will increase EGA Leichtmetall’s recycling capacity more than six-fold, adding 110 thousand tonnes per year of scrap sorting capacity and 153 thousand tonnes per year of melting and...
In 2025, the global aluminium landscape seized moments with factors like scrap availability, recycling efforts and sustainability goals increasingly influencing trade patterns, pricing trends and strategies in the industry. The industry witnessed changes in scrap trade dynamics, a robust secondary aluminium market and the automotive sector's growing dependence on low-carbon materials. Additionally, challenges from solar waste and gaps in the circular economy are emerging, highlighting a complex relationship between decarbonisation objectives and material security. With new investments in recycling and community-led sustainability projects, these shifts indicate that the aluminium value chain is in the midst of profound changes, setting the stage for increased volatility, strategic...
The global aluminium industry in 2025 entered into a new era where carbon metrics are becoming just as important as cost and quality of the product. With new pricing benchmarks for low-emission products and the increasing impact of regulations like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), low-carbon aluminium is facing a rising demand across sectors, but especially within the automobile industry. In 2026 and beyond, the rising demand for low-carbon aluminium will become a clearly defined and rise as a valuable segment, driven by unique price signals, market incentives and compliance needs. Recycled aluminium consumption in automotive sector In 2024, the global automotive industry, which includes passenger cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles, recorded a total recycled or...
The global aluminium recycling market entered 2025 with record material recovery but shrinking mobility of scrap. While worldwide secondary aluminium consumption touched 28.4 million tonnes as compared to primary consumption of 72.4 million tonnes in 2024, global recycled aluminium production reached 41.7 million tonnes during the same timeframe. Image for reference only Explore- Most accurate data to drive business decisions with 50+ reports across the value chain According to the International Aluminium Institute’s material-flow modelling cited in AL Circle’s World Recycled Aluminium Market Analysis: Industry forecast to 2032 , total aluminium scrap flows combining domestic recycling and cross-border trade expanded from 25.6 million tonnes in 2013 to 41.4 million tonnes in 2023, marking...
China's imports of aluminum scrap during January-November this year totalled 1.8 million tonnes, higher by a significant 12.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest data released by the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). In November alone, China's aluminum scrap imports rose by 2.8 per cent on month and jumped 17.7 per cent on year to reach 162,756 tonnes, GACC data showed. By country, Thailand renained the top aluminum scrap supplier to China last month, with shipments growing 3.1 per cent on month and 6.6 per cent on year respectively to reach 27,559 tonnes, accounting for 16.9 per cent of China's total Imports. according to the data. Meanwhile, aluminum scrap imported from the UK the second-largest supplier of the material to China -...
2025 has been the year when major industries, especially the global aluminium industry, have been more proactive towards either starting new aluminium recycling projects or restarting the existing ones. Since the year is about to end, now is the right time to have a look at the key projects concerning the global aluminium recycling and make an informed decision for the year to come. Highlighting some of 2025’s key recycling projects The largest recycling plant in the UAE, powered by EGA Owing to the future of the UAE's recycled aluminium, especially when the country is facing an abundant surge in the overall demand for recycled aluminium, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has been constructing the largest aluminium recycling plant in UAE . The actual construction of this plant commenced...
Brazil’s aluminium can industry is deeply interwined with the country’s economy and lifestyle, and this is not any recent development but the outcome of consistent, decades-long journey that began in 1989 with Latasa’s first factory in Pouso Alegre, Minas Gerais. Since then, there is no looking back! Through innovation, collaboration, and awareness, the South American country becomes a global leader in aluminium cans. And at the core of this lies sustainability. More specifically, Brazil’s ability to leverage aluminium’s defining advantage – infinite recyclability. As awareness of this attribute grew, aluminium cans gained wide acceptance as a preferred beverage packaging solution. In a decade, by 1999, the production of cans hit 10 billion units, and by 2009, it doubled to 20 billion...
A proposed final air quality permit for Aluminum Dynamics has been initiated by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to start the construction of the recycling plant in Benson. The proposed permits mark a crucial step for the firm as it gears up to construct a large-scale facility in southern Arizona. As per the draft of ADEQ's permit, the firm is not allowed to start with the facility operations. This is because the firm is required to wait for ADI's approval for the completion of the regulatory review process, alongside any federal or state approvals, before commencing the operations. For completing the review of ADEQ's proposed permit, the Environmental Protection Agency is deemed to have only 45 days. It has been highlighted by ADEQ that if the proposed permit is approved...
