US Ferrous scrap exports plunged 23.5% during H1 2014

ALBANY (Scrap Monster): The ferrous scrap exports from the US declined sharply during the initial six months of the year. The aluminum scrap exports too declined sharply during the period. However, plastic scrap exports rebounded from the lows witnessed during imposition of Green Fence regulations by Chinese authorities.

The ferrous scrap exports from the country totaled 7.59 million metric tons during Jan-June ‘14 period, sharply lower by 23.5% when compared with the exports during same period the previous year. The weighted average price of ferrous scrap exports during the month averaged at $404 per metric ton, down by 3.2% over the previous year.

The scrap plastic exports during June totaled 405.26 million pounds. The volume of plastic scrap exports saw decline of 4.7% when compared with the exports during May ‘14. The scrap plastic exports in June this year were higher by 23.2% when compared with the exports during the same month a year ago.

The recovered plastic exports were up by 14.3% over the previous year for the period through June. The export volume totaled 2.32 billion pounds during H1 2014. However, the average price through June was down by 2.1% year-on-year to 19.78 cents per pound.

The recovered paper exports through June totaled 9.68 million metric tons, almost 1.3% up when compared with the exports during Jan-June 2013.

The aluminum scrap exports during the initial six months of the year totaled 1.80 billion pounds. The scrap exports declined by 10% over the six months in 2013. The price of aluminum scrap exports averaged at 77 cents per pound, down 3.8% year-on-year.