Scrap Metal Recycling in European Union: Market Size, Businesses & Forecast 2026

The scrap metal recycling industry in the European Union involves the collection, sorting, and processing of ferrous and non-ferrous end-of-life metal wastes into secondary raw materials. The sector is moving rapidly toward tighter integration with 'green' steelmaking and multimetal recovery networks to fulfill continental circular economy mandates. According to official Eurostat data, the EU generated 6.9 million tonnes of metal in its municipal waste stream alone in 2023, while total EU-27 exports of recyclable metal raw materials outside the bloc reached 19.0 million tonnes in 2024 (Eurostat). Looking ahead, the industry is increasingly constrained by revised European waste shipment restr

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What does the Scrap Metal Recycling in European Union industry cover?

The scrap metal recycling industry encompasses the mechanical and chemical transformation of ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste into high-quality secondary raw materials. It spans the processing of end-of-life vehicles, industrial machinery, and consumer appliances through volume-reducing machining, shredding, and sorting. The scope strictly excludes primary extraction from ores, focusing instead on returning processed scrap safely back to mills, smelters, and refiners.

• •Classified under the official European NACE system as code 38.32 (Recycling of waste).
• •Includes specialized criteria ensuring processed copper, iron, and aluminium scrap cease to be legally designated as waste upon commercial transfer.

Who operates in the industry and how is it structured?

The European market operates via a highly integrated network of local scrap yards, specialized regional shredders, and massive transnational recycling conglomerates. Operators act as intermediate processors that bridge municipal or industrial waste collection with basic metal manufacturing. The market structurally separates activities into high-volume ferrous scrap processing and highly technical non-ferrous multimetal refining.

• •The sector manages a vast internal network dominated by intra-EU trade of recovered secondary materials.
• •Industrial recyclers handle hazardous metal processing residues, such as electric arc furnace dust and salt slags.

What drives demand in the industry?

Demand is heavily driven by European steel and non-ferrous metal producers seeking to mitigate carbon emissions and lower energy consumption through secondary smelting. Utilizing recycled steel instead of virgin iron ore reduces localized air pollution significantly and prevents substantial carbon emissions, aligning with regional decarbonization goals. Additionally, high global prices and strategic resource autonomy agendas within the EU accelerate the demand to recover critical metals.

• •Recycled steel achieved a 59.2% usage share of total crude steel production within the EU-27 in 2023 (BIR).
• •Recycling aluminium saves up to 95% of the energy required for primary production from raw bauxite ore (EuRIC).

Who are the notable companies in the industry?

The competitive field consists of major public multimetal refiners and environmental service multinational corporations operating extensive European infrastructure networks. These players compete for stable industrial waste streams and invest heavily in proprietary mechanical sorting and chemical recovery technologies. Prominent companies feature diverse operating segments ranging from copper and precious metal smelting to hazardous steel-mill residue processing.

• •Aurubis AG operates as one of the largest copper and multimetal recyclers globally, processing over 500,000 tonnes of copper scrap annually.
• •Befesa S.A. is a market leader in recycling industrial hazardous residues, processing over 650,000 tonnes of raw electric arc furnace steel dust annually across Europe.
• •Other real prominent market participants active in EU metal recovery operations include Umicore NV, Derichebourg SA, and Aperam SA.

What are the recent trends and outlook?

The industry is experiencing downward pressure on global scrap usage alongside fluctuating international trade volumes for recyclable materials. Total EU-27 recycled steel consumption fell by 5.7% to 74.846 million tonnes in 2023, reflecting broader declines in crude steel manufacturing across Europe. Despite lower domestic utilization, international cross-border movements continue to position the EU as a major global exporter of secondary metals.

• •EU exports of recyclable metal raw materials to non-EU nations reached 19.0 million tonnes in 2024 (Eurostat).
• •Türkiye remained the top destination for the EU's total recyclable exports, receiving 12.3 million tonnes of material in 2024.

How is the industry regulated?

Compliance within the EU is strictly governed by statutory frameworks focusing on transboundary waste movements and statutory circular economy benchmarks. The EU Waste Shipment Regulation enforces stringent documentation and control criteria on metal scrap leaving the single market. Furthermore, industrial processors are mandated to comply with Best Available Techniques guidelines to limit emissions and environmental footprints.

• •Commission Regulation (EU) No 715/2013 outlines mandatory end-of-waste conformity criteria for copper scrap.
• •The EU Waste Framework Directive establishes strict recycling targets, requiring a unified calculation method for municipal and industrial scrap streams.

Government, statistical and trade sources used for this Claight analysis.

• Eurostat News Release (env_trdrrm) 2025 ·
• Eurostat Municipal Waste Statistics (env_wasmun) 2024 ·
• Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) World Steel Recycling in Figures 2019-2023 ·
• European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform / EuRIC Metal Recycling Factsheet ·
• European Commission NACE Rev. 2 Statistical Classification ·
• Aurubis AG Annual Report 2023/24