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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For all its ambition, the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) suffers from a problem not uncommon in modern climate regulation: data complexity outpacing policy design. In our previous editorial derived from the same study by European Aluminium , we have explored how aluminium scrap has become a billion-euro backdoor for foreign producers to undercut CBAM fees and outprice European producers. But underneath the circumvention tactics lies an even bigger story, one of missing traceability, legal grey zones, and statistical blind spots that could seriously undermine CBAM’s integrity over the next decade. This time, we delve deeper into why CBAM’s loophole isn’t just about policy, it’s about enforcement infrastructure, legal classification, and the technical debt of...
AL Circle is pleased to announce the release of its comprehensive industry-focused market research report, "World Recycled Aluminium Market Analysis: Industry Forecast to 2032." This report study offers critical insights into the evolving landscape of the global recycled aluminium sector, a market that is increasingly vital in the global push towards decarbonisation, sustainability, and a circular economy. As industries worldwide prioritise low-carbon solutions, recycled aluminium has emerged as a cornerstone material, offering remarkable energy savings of up to 95 per cent compared to primary aluminium production while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. AL Circle's new report delves into the key factors shaping this dynamic market, offering a detailed analysis of:...
When the European Union unveiled its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the ambition was clear: to build a fortress against carbon leakage, shield domestic industries from unfair competition, and incentivise global decarbonisation. It was heralded as the world’s most sophisticated climate tariff, with a complex, bold, and precise outline. Image for referential purposes only But as the legislation transitions from theory to implementation, a critical vulnerability has emerged. And it’s not in exotic energy systems or abstract accounting tricks. It’s in something far more mundane, yet deceptively potent — aluminium scrap. As for the current plan, CBAM creates a multi-billion-euro arbitrage opportunity for foreign aluminium producers. And the loophole is alarmingly simple. Both...
Samta Metals & Alloys, a subsidiary of India's Samta Group, is constructing an aluminium and copper recycling facility in the Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra, Morocco. Image source: Flickr The company is investing USD 70 million in the development of the project within Morocco’s Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra. Spanning 36,600 square meters, the eco-friendly plant is slated to commence operations by 2026, utilising renewable energy to produce its line of sustainable metal products. Also read: https://www.alcircle.com/news/new-50-million-recycling-facility-in-maryland-promises-to-boost-regional-sustainability-113906 Designed to align with Morocco’s circular economy objectives, the facility will have an annual processing capacity of 35,000 tonnes, targeting the recovery of approximately 19,200...
The Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) is set to enter China's recycled metal futures market with the introduction of cast aluminium alloy futures and options. As reported on May 26, 2025, the exchange has secured approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission for this launch. The move is viewed as a long-term strategic initiative aimed at benefiting the global market by improving access to China’s cast aluminium alloy futures and options. China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of cast aluminium alloy, with an annual production capacity of about 13 million tonnes. According to the data from the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, China’s actual production of cast aluminium alloy in 2024 was 6.2 million tonnes, and an apparent consumption was 6.73 million...
In a quiet alley in Fukuoka’s Minami Ward, what began as a routine garbage patrol turned into a tense showdown. “You’re not allowed to take that!” howled a Fukuoka city employee, catching a man red-handed with a bag of non-burnable waste stuffed with aluminium cans. The man lunged, shoving the official and trying to flee in a small car. After a brief scuffle, two city workers managed to pin him down and hand him over to the police. His backseat? Crammed with five bags of stolen aluminium cans. This wasn’t his first offence. The man, in his 20s, had already received three warnings, both written and verbal. But the lure of aluminium had proven too strong. From trash to treasure Aluminium theft in Japan is no longer a petty nuisance. It is becoming an organised, nationwide problem. In...
In February 2025, the United States recorded a 5.88 per cent month-on-month increase in aluminium scrap exports, reaching 162,000 tonnes compared to 153,000 tonnes in January, according to data published by the US Geological Survey (USGS). In contrast, aluminium scrap imports declined by 5.84 per cent month-on-month to 59,700 tonnes, down from 63,400 tonnes in the previous month. On a year-over-year basis, both exports and imports demonstrated upward trends. Aluminium scrap exports rose by 2.53 per cent from 158,000 tonnes in February 2024, while imports surged by 24.8 per cent from 50,800 tonnes. The uptick in export volume was likely driven by increased domestic aluminium scrap recovery, which totalled 321,000 tonnes in February, marking an 8 per cent rise from 297,000 tonnes in...
The aluminium industry is on a determined mission to build a truly closed-loop supply chain, and the spotlight is firmly on aluminium dross. Around the globe, smelters are ramping up efforts to minimise waste and supercharge recycling, driven by ambitious sustainability goals. Thanks to cutting-edge advances in dross processing technology over the past few years, companies are making remarkable strides. The impact - Of the total aluminium dross generated in 2024, an estimated 60-70 per cent was recovered and processed in various in-house facilities of aluminium producers as well as at third-party recycling facilities. Not only this, top region wise also the aluminium recovery rate from dross has shown significant results. Like – China generated over 2 million tonnes of dross, of which...
The age of smart recycling is here, and it's making sustainability not just necessary, but revolutionary. Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have found a way to transform everyday waste into a powerhouse of sustainability. Think used batteries and crumpled aluminium foil, normally destined for landfills, reborn as nanocatalysts that fight climate change. These microscopic marvels don't just recycle waste, they upcycle it. The nanocatalysts are capable of converting harmful carbon dioxide (CO₂) into methane, a clean-burning fuel that can power everything from factories to freight. It's a radical rethinking of waste: not just reducing harm, but actively creating value. This isn't just a lab experiment. It's a glimpse into a greener future where yesterday's trash fuels tomorrow's...
At the Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) Conference & Exposition held this May in San Diego, panellists at the "Spotlight on Aluminum" session explored the emerging market for Vesper, newly introduced recycled grade aluminium. Developed in collaboration with Novelis Inc., a leading aluminium recycling and rolling company based in Atlanta, Vesper represents a significant step forward in advancing sustainable aluminium solutions. Vesper consists of wrought aluminium materials, including sheet, extrusion, and/or plate grades that are carefully separated from zorba or twitch shredded aluminium streams. To meet the specification, the material must not contain more than 1 per cent free magnesium, 1 per cent free zinc, and 0.50 per cent analytical iron. Gary Gallo, senior manager,...
Aluminium dross, a once-ignored by-product of the aluminium industry, is now stepping into the spotlight. Formed as a thin, skin-like layer on molten aluminium during melting and processing, dross is the result of natural surface oxidation. For years, it was treated as industrial waste, routinely dumped into landfills. This not only posed serious environmental hazards but also led to the loss of valuable aluminium and other materials locked within the dross. But times have changed. Today, with sustainability high on the industry's agenda, dross is no longer an afterthought. It's become a focal point in the push toward a circular aluminium economy. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies, recovery rates now exceed 95 per cent, turning what was once a liability into a high-value resource....
Aluminium Dunkerque, a leading producer of primary aluminium in Europe, has taken a bold step toward greener metal production with the launch of its new Furnace 8, a state-of-the-art melting furnace dedicated to aluminium recycling. This innovation will enable the plant to recycle 7,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap annually, boosting output by 20,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium each year. More than just a furnace, this development is a part of Aluminium Dunkerque's wider mission to support reindustrialisation in France and reduce dependence on high-carbon aluminium imports. Furnace 8 aims to slash CO2 emissions by 10 per cent of ingots produced, cutting a total of 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Guillaume de Goÿs, CEO of Aluminium Dunkerque, said, "Each year, France still exports nearly...
With the global demand for recycled aluminium surging, what holds the future of the UAE's recycled aluminium? Owing to this, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has been constructing the largest aluminium recycling plant in UAE which commenced on November 21, 2023. On May 13, 2025, the firm announced the completion of 50 per cent of the construction, 42 days ahead of the scheduled timeline. The project, slated to come into operation in 2026 , will be the largest recycling plant in the UAE. Image source: media.ega.ae This recycling plant is built next to another smelter plant of the firm in Al Taweelah. The construction of the new recycling plant will enable the firm to recycle approximately 170,000 tonnes per year. At the milestone of completing 50 per cent of the plant construction, a total...
Pure Aluminum, a rapidly growing aluminium processor headquartered in Saranac, Michigan, is teaming up with industry leaders Traxys and Consortium Metals in a powerful new joint venture. Together, this partnership is set to transform aluminium recycling by turning scrap into high-value, sustainable products—delivering essential materials to a wide array of industries and driving forward a more circular economy. Traxys brings global expertise in the physical trading of metals and natural resources, while Consortium Metals adds deep market knowledge in secondary aluminium sales and marketing. As part of the new partnership, Pure Aluminum will oversee and expand operations at its state-of-the-art production facility in Saranac, Michigan. Traxys will take the lead on global sourcing and...
On National Technology Day 2025, Vedanta Aluminium announced a patent for its breakthrough tech that recovers 99 per cent pure graphite from aluminium waste, aligning with this year’s theme, YANTRA, by turning waste into a strategic resource. Vedanta’s solution recovers usable graphite from aluminium industry waste, turning a challenge into a resource. This method showcases Indian industry’s deep-tech capabilities, supporting missions like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Critical Minerals and Net Zero goals. Vedanta Aluminium’s in-house R&D team, with CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, developed the patented process to extract battery-grade graphite from aluminium waste like Spent Pot Lining and Shot Blast Dust. This supports India’s circular economy goals and can reduce over 70 per cent dependence on imported...
A study commissioned by the UK’s Can Makers shows the generation gap in recycling, with 18- to 34-year-olds still lagging behind older generations when it comes to recycling their beverage cans. In this piece for The Metal Packager, Tim Conybeare, chairman of the Can Makers, discusses some of the findings of the latest research and campaigns designed to improve younger consumers’ understanding of circularity and the important role recycling plays in achieving a more circular economy. While more than four in five aluminium beverage cans are being recycled in the UK, Conybeare writes: “There is still work to do to ensure those consumers who purchase cans most frequently recycle more of their used packaging.” Two thirds of consumers believe cans are the most circular – but are we all...
Shares of India-based Baheti Recycling Industries Limited, a micro-cap company specialising in recycling aluminium scrap into various aluminium alloys such as ingots, cubes, shots, notch bars, and de-ox alloys, surged by up to 9.3 per cent on Monday following the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Minda Corporation Ltd. The company’s stock reached an intraday high of INR 639.55 per share ($7.67 USD), compared to its previous closing price of INR 585.00, pushing its market capitalisation to INR 658.40 crores ($79.02 million). Under this agreement, Baheti will supply 4,368 metric tonnes of aluminium alloy ingots during the financial year 2025–26, with the order valued at approximately INR 121 crore ($14.52 million). This collaboration represents a significant milestone...
Hydro is putting urban mining in the spotlight as an official supporter of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. At the exhibition, Hydro is featuring two collaborative projects made with 100 per cent recycled post-consumer aluminium, Hydro CIRCAL 100R, one of which is the core structure throughout the venue. Urban mining, defined simply as “the process of reclaiming raw materials from spent products, buildings and waste,” reframes the waste generated by cities and urban environments, viewing it as a highly valuable resource. Recycling and repurposing valuable building materials, such as aluminium, are at the very core of the urban mining methodology. “Raising awareness of low-emission, recycled aluminium among architects is key to lowering the...
