Global Metal Waste and Recycling Market Growth 2026-2032
Description
The global Metal Waste and Recycling market size is predicted to grow from US$ 329605 million in 2025 to US$ 468253 million in 2032; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2026 to 2032.
The metal waste and recycling market is the part of the economy that collects, trades, sorts, processes, and remelts metal waste (“scrap”) so it can be used again as raw material. In daily business, people often use “metal scrap” and “metal waste” together, but the market usually separates two main sources. The first is new (prompt) scrap, which comes from manufacturing and fabrication (off-cuts, stamping scrap, machining chips). The second is old (obsolete) scrap, which comes from end-of-life products and structures (cars, appliances, buildings, ships, machinery, cables, packaging, and electronic products). Both sources need a chain of services—collection, sorting, cleaning, size reduction, and quality testing—before they become a feedstock that a steel mill, foundry, or non-ferrous smelter can use.
From an industry-chain view, the market starts with generation of scrap and ends when recycled metal replaces primary metal made from mined ore. For steel, this is closely linked to how steel is produced. Global steelmaking uses both ore-based routes (blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace) and scrap-based routes (electric arc furnace, EAF). World Steel Association material factsheets show that EAF production is about 30% of global crude steel, and that steelmaking uses large volumes of scrap as an input. World Steel also emphasizes that steel is very easy to separate and recycle, and that every steel plant uses scrap as part of its raw-material mix. This is why the ferrous (iron and steel) scrap business is often the “base load” of metal recycling in many countries.
For non-ferrous metals, the market is more fragmented but often higher value per ton. Aluminium recycling is a clear example of why recycling matters: the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) reports that recycled aluminium requires far less energy than primary aluminium, and it quantifies the energy gap as roughly a 95% energy saving compared with primary production. Copper, nickel, and other non-ferrous metals also have strong recycling economics because the metals are valuable and can often be recovered at high purity; the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) notes that copper byproducts and obsolete copper products are readily recycled and contribute significantly to supply. In practice, this means the metal waste and recycling market is not only a “waste” business; it is also a secondary raw-material supply industry that competes with mining, smelting, and refining.
The market also includes specialized streams with fast growth and higher technical barriers. E-waste (discarded electronics) and end-of-life batteries are important because they contain metals that are critical for modern technology (copper, aluminium, nickel, cobalt, lithium, rare metals). These streams require more complex separation and chemical processing than ordinary scrap. Regulation is increasingly shaping these flows. For example, the U.S. EPA explains that from January 1, 2025, international shipments of hazardous and non-hazardous e-waste and scrap are subject to Basel Convention controls, including prior informed consent procedures. This kind of rule changes how material moves across borders and pushes more investment into compliant collection and processing systems.
In 2025, global Metal Waste and Recycling production reached approximately 745840 K MT, with an average global market price of around US$ 452 per MT. The global single-line production capacity ranges from 100 to 150 K MT per year. The industry's gross profit margin is approximately 25%-30%.
Several market trends are now changing the industry’s direction. One major trend is that metal recycling is moving from “good practice” to a core tool for decarbonization and energy efficiency. Steel and aluminium are both energy-intensive when made from ore, so using scrap is one of the quickest ways to reduce energy use and emissions in many value chains. World Steel’s data highlights how scrap is already deeply embedded in steelmaking, while policy discussions in many regions increasingly treat scrap as a strategic input for low-carbon steel. The OECD’s work on the scrap steel market says that in net-zero pathways, the share of scrap input needs to rise materially, with projections that scrap use may need to reach around 45–50% of steel production by 2050, even though scrap availability differs a lot by region. This creates a new reality: the industry is no longer only chasing volume; it is also managing scrap availability, scrap quality, and regional imbalances.
A second trend is a rising focus on scrap quality and sorting, not just scrap quantity. As steel mills and aluminium smelters target lower-carbon and higher-performance products, they need tighter chemistry control. Mixed scrap can bring unwanted elements (for example copper “tramp” in certain steels, or contamination in aluminium alloys). This is pushing investment into better sorting: sensor-based sorting, improved shredding and separation, better sampling and analysis, and more standardized scrap specifications. The same logic applies to battery and electronics recycling, where recovery is not just “metal content,” but also purity, recovery rates, and traceability to meet new rules.
A third trend is that policy is reshaping trade in scrap metals. Historically, scrap is widely traded because some regions have more end-of-life material and collection capacity, while other regions have more melt capacity. The OECD notes that international trade plays an essential role in meeting scrap demand, but also flags that export restrictions are significant in some major scrap-supplying economies. The European Commission’s waste-shipment updates describe a coming system where the EU will set a list of non-OECD countries authorized to receive EU waste, and exports to non-OECD countries not on that list will be prohibited from May 21, 2027. This kind of framework can tighten regional scrap markets, change price spreads, and encourage more domestic processing investment inside the EU.
A fourth trend is rapid growth in battery-metal recycling driven by EV expansion and raw-material security. Europe’s battery rules are a clear signal. The European Commission highlights new targets for waste battery recycling, including material recovery targets by the end of 2027 (for example 90% for cobalt, copper, lead, and nickel, and 50% for lithium), rising further by the end of 2031. These targets push recyclers to improve processes (often hydrometallurgy), push producers to design batteries with recycling in mind, and push the market toward contracts that value reliable recovery rather than simple collection.
The major players in global metal waste and recycling market include Arcelormittal, SIMS Metal Management, European Metal Recycling Limited, Chiho Environmental Group, OmniSource, etc. The top five players occupy over 8% shares of the global market.
LP Information, Inc. (LPI) ' newest research report, the “Metal Waste and Recycling Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Metal Waste and Recycling sales in 2025, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Metal Waste and Recycling sales for 2026 through 2032. With Metal Waste and Recycling sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Metal Waste and Recycling industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Metal Waste and Recycling landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Metal Waste and Recycling portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms’ unique position in an accelerating global Metal Waste and Recycling market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Metal Waste and Recycling and breaks down the forecast by Type, by Application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Metal Waste and Recycling.
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Metal Waste and Recycling market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
Segmentation by Type:
Ferrous Metal
Non-ferrous Metal
Precious Metal
Segmentation by Source of Scrap Generation:
Prompt (New) Scrap
Obsolete (Old) Scrap
Industrial Maintenance Scrap
Segmentation by Collection Channel:
Municipal Collection
Commercial & Industrial Contracts
Auto Dismantlers / Scrapyards
Demolition Contractors
E-waste Collectors
Others
Segmentation by Processing Stage:
Unprocessed / Raw Scrap
Sorted & Graded Scrap
Size-reduced
Upgraded Concentrate
Secondary Materials
Segmentation by Application:
Building & Construction
Automotive
Equipment Manufacturing
Shipbuilding
Consumer Appliances
Battery
Packaging
Others
This report also splits the market by region:
Americas
United States
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
APAC
China
Japan
Korea
Southeast Asia
India
Australia
Europe
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Russia
Middle East & Africa
Egypt
South Africa
Israel
Turkey
GCC Countries
The below companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analysing the company's coverage, product portfolio, its market penetration.
Arcelormittal
David J. Joseph Co (Nucor)
Commercial Metals Company
SIMS Metal Management
Aurubis
European Metal Recycling
DOWA
Chiho Environmental Group
OmniSource
Hindalco
Hanwa
Johnson Matthey
Umicore
Tanaka
Heraeus
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Metal Waste and Recycling market?
What factors are driving Metal Waste and Recycling market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Metal Waste and Recycling market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Metal Waste and Recycling break out by Type, by Application?
Please note: The report will take approximately 2 business days to prepare and deliver.
The metal waste and recycling market is the part of the economy that collects, trades, sorts, processes, and remelts metal waste (“scrap”) so it can be used again as raw material. In daily business, people often use “metal scrap” and “metal waste” together, but the market usually separates two main sources. The first is new (prompt) scrap, which comes from manufacturing and fabrication (off-cuts, stamping scrap, machining chips). The second is old (obsolete) scrap, which comes from end-of-life products and structures (cars, appliances, buildings, ships, machinery, cables, packaging, and electronic products). Both sources need a chain of services—collection, sorting, cleaning, size reduction, and quality testing—before they become a feedstock that a steel mill, foundry, or non-ferrous smelter can use.
From an industry-chain view, the market starts with generation of scrap and ends when recycled metal replaces primary metal made from mined ore. For steel, this is closely linked to how steel is produced. Global steelmaking uses both ore-based routes (blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace) and scrap-based routes (electric arc furnace, EAF). World Steel Association material factsheets show that EAF production is about 30% of global crude steel, and that steelmaking uses large volumes of scrap as an input. World Steel also emphasizes that steel is very easy to separate and recycle, and that every steel plant uses scrap as part of its raw-material mix. This is why the ferrous (iron and steel) scrap business is often the “base load” of metal recycling in many countries.
For non-ferrous metals, the market is more fragmented but often higher value per ton. Aluminium recycling is a clear example of why recycling matters: the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) reports that recycled aluminium requires far less energy than primary aluminium, and it quantifies the energy gap as roughly a 95% energy saving compared with primary production. Copper, nickel, and other non-ferrous metals also have strong recycling economics because the metals are valuable and can often be recovered at high purity; the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) notes that copper byproducts and obsolete copper products are readily recycled and contribute significantly to supply. In practice, this means the metal waste and recycling market is not only a “waste” business; it is also a secondary raw-material supply industry that competes with mining, smelting, and refining.
The market also includes specialized streams with fast growth and higher technical barriers. E-waste (discarded electronics) and end-of-life batteries are important because they contain metals that are critical for modern technology (copper, aluminium, nickel, cobalt, lithium, rare metals). These streams require more complex separation and chemical processing than ordinary scrap. Regulation is increasingly shaping these flows. For example, the U.S. EPA explains that from January 1, 2025, international shipments of hazardous and non-hazardous e-waste and scrap are subject to Basel Convention controls, including prior informed consent procedures. This kind of rule changes how material moves across borders and pushes more investment into compliant collection and processing systems.
In 2025, global Metal Waste and Recycling production reached approximately 745840 K MT, with an average global market price of around US$ 452 per MT. The global single-line production capacity ranges from 100 to 150 K MT per year. The industry's gross profit margin is approximately 25%-30%.
Several market trends are now changing the industry’s direction. One major trend is that metal recycling is moving from “good practice” to a core tool for decarbonization and energy efficiency. Steel and aluminium are both energy-intensive when made from ore, so using scrap is one of the quickest ways to reduce energy use and emissions in many value chains. World Steel’s data highlights how scrap is already deeply embedded in steelmaking, while policy discussions in many regions increasingly treat scrap as a strategic input for low-carbon steel. The OECD’s work on the scrap steel market says that in net-zero pathways, the share of scrap input needs to rise materially, with projections that scrap use may need to reach around 45–50% of steel production by 2050, even though scrap availability differs a lot by region. This creates a new reality: the industry is no longer only chasing volume; it is also managing scrap availability, scrap quality, and regional imbalances.
A second trend is a rising focus on scrap quality and sorting, not just scrap quantity. As steel mills and aluminium smelters target lower-carbon and higher-performance products, they need tighter chemistry control. Mixed scrap can bring unwanted elements (for example copper “tramp” in certain steels, or contamination in aluminium alloys). This is pushing investment into better sorting: sensor-based sorting, improved shredding and separation, better sampling and analysis, and more standardized scrap specifications. The same logic applies to battery and electronics recycling, where recovery is not just “metal content,” but also purity, recovery rates, and traceability to meet new rules.
A third trend is that policy is reshaping trade in scrap metals. Historically, scrap is widely traded because some regions have more end-of-life material and collection capacity, while other regions have more melt capacity. The OECD notes that international trade plays an essential role in meeting scrap demand, but also flags that export restrictions are significant in some major scrap-supplying economies. The European Commission’s waste-shipment updates describe a coming system where the EU will set a list of non-OECD countries authorized to receive EU waste, and exports to non-OECD countries not on that list will be prohibited from May 21, 2027. This kind of framework can tighten regional scrap markets, change price spreads, and encourage more domestic processing investment inside the EU.
A fourth trend is rapid growth in battery-metal recycling driven by EV expansion and raw-material security. Europe’s battery rules are a clear signal. The European Commission highlights new targets for waste battery recycling, including material recovery targets by the end of 2027 (for example 90% for cobalt, copper, lead, and nickel, and 50% for lithium), rising further by the end of 2031. These targets push recyclers to improve processes (often hydrometallurgy), push producers to design batteries with recycling in mind, and push the market toward contracts that value reliable recovery rather than simple collection.
The major players in global metal waste and recycling market include Arcelormittal, SIMS Metal Management, European Metal Recycling Limited, Chiho Environmental Group, OmniSource, etc. The top five players occupy over 8% shares of the global market.
LP Information, Inc. (LPI) ' newest research report, the “Metal Waste and Recycling Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Metal Waste and Recycling sales in 2025, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Metal Waste and Recycling sales for 2026 through 2032. With Metal Waste and Recycling sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Metal Waste and Recycling industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Metal Waste and Recycling landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Metal Waste and Recycling portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms’ unique position in an accelerating global Metal Waste and Recycling market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Metal Waste and Recycling and breaks down the forecast by Type, by Application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Metal Waste and Recycling.
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Metal Waste and Recycling market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
Segmentation by Type:
Ferrous Metal
Non-ferrous Metal
Precious Metal
Segmentation by Source of Scrap Generation:
Prompt (New) Scrap
Obsolete (Old) Scrap
Industrial Maintenance Scrap
Segmentation by Collection Channel:
Municipal Collection
Commercial & Industrial Contracts
Auto Dismantlers / Scrapyards
Demolition Contractors
E-waste Collectors
Others
Segmentation by Processing Stage:
Unprocessed / Raw Scrap
Sorted & Graded Scrap
Size-reduced
Upgraded Concentrate
Secondary Materials
Segmentation by Application:
Building & Construction
Automotive
Equipment Manufacturing
Shipbuilding
Consumer Appliances
Battery
Packaging
Others
This report also splits the market by region:
Americas
United States
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
APAC
China
Japan
Korea
Southeast Asia
India
Australia
Europe
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Russia
Middle East & Africa
Egypt
South Africa
Israel
Turkey
GCC Countries
The below companies that are profiled have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and analysing the company's coverage, product portfolio, its market penetration.
Arcelormittal
David J. Joseph Co (Nucor)
Commercial Metals Company
SIMS Metal Management
Aurubis
European Metal Recycling
DOWA
Chiho Environmental Group
OmniSource
Hindalco
Hanwa
Johnson Matthey
Umicore
Tanaka
Heraeus
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Metal Waste and Recycling market?
What factors are driving Metal Waste and Recycling market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Metal Waste and Recycling market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Metal Waste and Recycling break out by Type, by Application?
Please note: The report will take approximately 2 business days to prepare and deliver.
Table of Contents
109 Pages
- *This is a tentative TOC and the final deliverable is subject to change.*
- 1 Scope of the Report
- 2 Executive Summary
- 3 Global by Company
- 4 World Historic Review for Metal Waste and Recycling by Geographic Region
- 5 Americas
- 6 APAC
- 7 Europe
- 8 Middle East & Africa
- 9 Market Drivers, Challenges and Trends
- 10 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis
- 11 Marketing, Distributors and Customer
- 12 World Forecast Review for Metal Waste and Recycling by Geographic Region
- 13 Key Players Analysis
- 14 Research Findings and Conclusion
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