Aluminium Scrap Export
EU aluminium scrap export measure delayed as Commission shifts from duty to non-OECD restrictions
The European Commission has delayed its planned measures on aluminium scrap exports, replacing the earlier proposal for export duties with restrictions on waste shipments to non-OECD countries. European Aluminium said the change has added to discomfort across the aluminium industry, which has been waiting for measures to address the rising flow of scrap out of Europe. The association is now calling for a trade measure with wider territorial coverage and product scope. The Commission had initially planned to introduce restrictions in the second quarter of 2026, later moving the timeline to September. The proposed export duty has now been withdrawn, with the Commission instead preparing a delegated act under the Waste Shipment Regulation. Under the new approach, exports of waste, including...
Germany’s aluminium scrap exports rebound 4.58% in H1 2026: Which countries are buying the most?
Germany’s aluminium scrap trade showed signs of recovery in the first half of 2026, with exports to the world reaching 616,000 tonnes, up 4.58 per cent from 589,000 tonnes in H1 2025. The increase was even more pronounced against the second half of 2025, with H1 2026 shipments rising 7.50 per cent from 573,000 tonnes. However, exports remained 4.05 per cent below the 642,000 tonnes recorded in H1 2024. Among Germany’s leading destinations, Italy retained the top spot, Austria and France gained the most, Poland lost ground, and the Netherlands saw only limited growth. If we look at the percentage of the share, Italy took 15.58 per cent of Germany’s scrap exports, followed by Austria at 13.64 per cent, the Netherlands at 10.06 per cent, Poland at 8.12 per cent and France at 6.17 per cent....
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ALUMINIUM 2026
15th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference & Exhibition - IBAAS–VFMSTA 2026
ICSOBA 2026 - 44th International Conference and Exhibition
ALUMINIUM 2026
15th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference & Exhibition - IBAAS–VFMSTA 2026
ICSOBA 2026 - 44th International Conference and Exhibition
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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
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A report that reveals where the aluminium casting industry is heading and how businesses can act.
LEARN MOREEurope holds 10% of global aluminium extrusion demand, supported by Germany’s Constellium, France’s Hydro Extrusions & Italy’s Metra
H1 2026 sees more renewable energy than ever: Here’s a region-by-region guide to renewable energy supply in the recent past
H1’26 LME aluminium stocks dip 31.82%: Russian sanctions & Gulf crisis pack a double blow
AL Circle Analysis: Import rise meets demand growth on aluminium extrusion chessboard
News
EU plans aluminium scrap export ban on non-OECD countries; China, India in focus
The European Union (EU) is preparing a broader restriction on aluminium scrap exports to non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, replacing an earlier trade proposal that would have covered only part of the bloc’s scrap flows. The move could largely impact international aluminium recycling trade, especially major Asian destinations such as China and India. As per an official statement released from the cabinet, EU Executive Vice-President Stephane Sejourne has “decided to withdraw the proposal and to explore a proposal, independent from trade instruments.” and is instead working on a delegated act under the Waste Shipment Regulation. The European Commission had initially been expected to introduce limited measures on September 23. However, “In the...
Buying Indian secondary aluminium? Start with these seven verifications
Secondary aluminium is increasingly central to Europe’s decarbonisation plans. It is used in automotive castings, construction profiles, packaging and consumer goods and is valued because it can deliver similar mechanical properties to primary metal while requiring a fraction of the energy and emitting far less carbon dioxide. The European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) have made low-carbon aluminium a strategic priority. As India’s scrap aluminium imports have continued to rise, from 0.88 million tonnes in CY15 to nearly 2 million tonnes in CY25, with a long-term CAGR of about 8.6 per cent, stronger traceability and licensing requirements are becoming increasingly important across the secondary aluminium supply chain. For this...
India’s aluminium recyclers face a scrap-supply bottleneck
India’s rapidly expanding secondary aluminium industry is facing a shortage of domestic scrap, leaving recyclers dependent on overseas suppliers and vulnerable to changing trade policies in major exporting regions. Secondary aluminium production has increased from approximately 0.85 million tonnes in 2015–16 to nearly 2.2 million tonnes in 2025–26, according to industry estimates cited by the Material Recycling Association of India. The sector now supplies around 35 per cent of India’s aluminium consumption, but imports account for roughly 80 per cent-85 per cent of its scrap requirements. The imbalance is prompting recyclers and primary aluminium producers to push competing policy proposals on the 2.5 per cent basic customs duty applied to imported aluminium scrap. Domestic scrap cannot...
More US aluminium scrap heads to Asia amid domestic supply concerns
The United States exported about 1.25 million tonnes of aluminium-bearing scrap in the first half of 2026, up 21 per cent from 1.03 million tonnes during the same period last year. The figures, based on US Census Bureau data cited by Davis Index, show that more recycled aluminium is leaving the country even as domestic producers and policymakers debate whether the material should be retained to support US supply chains. Thailand and India lead purchases Thailand was the largest destination for US aluminium scrap in the first six months of 2026, receiving 268,000 tonnes. India followed with 233,350 tonnes, while Malaysia, South Korea and Hong Kong rounded out the top five destinations with 160,700 tonnes, 139,500 tonnes and 136,200 tonnes respectively. All five markets increased their...
High raw material prices provide support alongside off-season inventory buildup, secondary aluminium price range under pressure
Aluminium scrap: This week, China's aluminium scrap market prices consolidated in a narrow range alongside primary aluminium, and the price difference between A00 aluminium and aluminium scrap widened again as aluminium scrap struggled to catch up. On August 13, SMM A00 spot aluminium prices closed at RMB 24,120 per tonne, up RMB 320 per tonne from last Thursday. In terms of price differences, on August 13, the price difference between A00 aluminium and mixed aluminium extrusion scrap free of paint in Foshan was about RMB 2,310 per tonne, and the price difference between A00 aluminium and shredded aluminium tense scrap was about RMB 1,210 per tonne, both widening again W-o-W. Against a backdrop of persistently rising primary aluminium prices, aluminium scrap price fluctuations were...
AL Circle Analysis: How the race for aluminium scrap is reshaping recycling, trade and industrial competitiveness
The aluminium industry has entered a new race. It is no longer just about producing lower-carbon metal but about securing the scrap, infrastructure and policy support needed to keep circular supply chains competitive. For years, recycling has been one of aluminium's strongest sustainability advantages. Recycled aluminium requires up to 95 per cent less energy than primary production, making it central to global decarbonisation efforts. Yet the industry's priorities are evolving. The key question is no longer how much aluminium can be recycled, but who will control the scrap that makes recycling possible. Recent developments across Brazil, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, India and Australia point to the same conclusion. Governments are reassessing scrap exports, recyclers are...
Interviews
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Julia Ettinger
A measure intended to increase the availability of recycled aluminium in Europe could ultimately reduce it, says Julia Ettinger
Tom Jansen, TOMRA Recycling
Europe must treat domestic aluminium scrap as a strategic asset to meet its decarbonisation target without being dependent on imports
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Marco Ricci
The combination of lightweighting, manufacturability and cost-effectiveness makes the stamped rolled-aluminum approach attractive
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