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U.S. Aluminum Scrap Imports Surge 37% as Canada Supplies Nearly Two-Thirds
U.S. aluminum scrap imports climbed to 580,000 metric tons during the first half of 2026, up 36.8% from a year earlier and more than 80% from H1 2024. Canada dominated the trade, supplying nearly two-thirds of imported scrap as recycled metal becomes increasingly important to U.S. aluminum production.
By Paul Ploumis
Published October 6, 2026
Summary Points
- H1 imports: U.S. aluminum scrap imports reached 580,000 metric tons, valued at approximately $2.07 billion.
- Year-over-year: Import volume increased 36.79% from 424,000 tonnes in H1 2025.
- Two-year growth: Imports were about 80.7% above the 321,000 tonnes recorded in H1 2024.
- Canada: Shipments reached 369,000 tonnes, equal to 63.62% of total U.S. imports.
- Mexico: The second-largest supplier shipped 133,000 tonnes, or 22.93% of the total.
- Secondary aluminum: Around 85% of U.S. aluminum production now comes from secondary production using recycled scrap as a major feedstock.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): U.S. aluminum scrap imports increased sharply during the first half of 2026 as domestic manufacturers and secondary producers drew larger volumes of recycled metal from overseas suppliers, particularly Canada.
Imports totaled approximately 580,000 metric tons between January and June, with a customs value of about $2.07 billion, according to trade data.
That represents a 36.79% increase from the 424,000 tonnes imported during the first half of 2025.
Compared with H1 2024, when U.S. imports totaled 321,000 tonnes, volumes have risen by approximately 80.7% in just two years.
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
The import surge is increasingly a North American supply-chain story. Canada and Mexico together supplied about 502,000 tonnes in the first half of 2026, representing roughly 86.6% of total U.S. aluminum scrap imports. Canada alone accounted for nearly two out of every three imported tonnes.
Import Growth Accelerates in the Second Quarter
The upward trend strengthened during the second quarter.
U.S. aluminum scrap imports reached approximately 314,000 tonnes in Q2 2026, compared with 266,000 tonnes during the first quarter.
That represents an 18.05% quarter-over-quarter increase.
The Q2 total was also substantially above recent comparable periods:
| Period | U.S. Aluminum Scrap Imports | Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 314,000 MT | ▲18.05% from Q1 2026 |
| Q1 2026 | 266,000 MT | — |
| Q2 2025 | 222,000 MT | Q2 2026 was about 41% higher |
| Q2 2024 | 167,000 MT | Q2 2026 was about 88% higher |
The acceleration suggests that the increase was not confined to the beginning of the year. Import demand strengthened further as 2026 progressed.
Canada Supplies 63.6% of U.S. Aluminum Scrap Imports
Canada remained by far the largest foreign source of aluminum scrap entering the United States.
Canadian suppliers shipped approximately 369,000 tonnes during the first half, representing 63.62% of all U.S. aluminum scrap imports.
Mexico ranked second with 133,000 tonnes, equivalent to 22.93%.
| Supplier | H1 2026 Volume | Share of U.S. Imports |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 369,000 MT | 63.62% |
| Mexico | 133,000 MT | 22.93% |
| South Korea | 13,600 MT | 2.35% |
| Colombia | 10,800 MT | 1.86% |
| United Kingdom | 8,200 MT | 1.41% |
The five largest supplying countries accounted for approximately 92.2% of total U.S. aluminum scrap imports.
Canadian Scrap Shipments Jump Nearly 70% in One Year
Canada was also responsible for much of the overall import growth.
Canadian aluminum scrap shipments to the United States increased from approximately 218,000 tonnes in H1 2025 to 369,000 tonnes in H1 2026.
That equals an increase of roughly 69% in one year.
Compared with H1 2024, when Canada shipped approximately 197,000 tonnes, volumes have risen about 87%.
The three-year pattern is:
- H1 2024: 197,000 tonnes;
- H1 2025: 218,000 tonnes; and
- H1 2026: 369,000 tonnes.
Mexico followed a different pattern. Its shipments increased from 95,000 tonnes in H1 2024 to 139,000 tonnes in H1 2025 before easing to 133,000 tonnes this year.
Canada and Mexico Supply 86.6% of Imported Scrap
The concentration of supply within North America is particularly significant.
Canada and Mexico together shipped approximately 502,000 tonnes of aluminum scrap to the United States during the first half.
That represents roughly 86.6% of total U.S. imports.
The figures underline the importance of cross-border scrap flows to U.S. remelters, rolling mills, secondary smelters and other aluminum manufacturers.
The Aluminum Association has repeatedly argued that aluminum operates through a highly integrated North American supply chain combining domestic production, recycling and regional trade.
About 85% of U.S. Aluminum Production Is Secondary
The surge in imported scrap comes as recycled metal takes an increasingly large role in U.S. aluminum production.
According to the Aluminum Association, approximately 85% of aluminum currently produced in the United States is secondary aluminum.
Secondary aluminum is made predominantly from recycled scrap, with primary metal added when required to achieve specific alloy chemistry and quality.
The share has increased dramatically over several decades as domestic primary smelting capacity declined and investment shifted toward recycling, rolling, extrusion, casting and other mid- and downstream operations.
The Association says U.S. aluminum scrap collection for recycling has more than doubled since the 1980s.
RECYCLER READ
Higher imports do not reduce the importance of domestic scrap recovery. U.S. secondary producers require large volumes of specific scrap grades and alloy chemistries, and the Aluminum Association is simultaneously calling for greater domestic recovery and fewer exports of strategically important aluminum scrap. Imports are another source of feedstock within that wider supply system.
U.S. Also Exports Significant Aluminum Scrap Volumes
The import increase is only one side of the U.S. aluminum scrap trade.
The Aluminum Association estimates that the United States exports roughly 2 million metric tons of aluminum scrap annually, representing more than one-quarter of available scrap supply.
The industry group has urged policymakers to consider targeted export restrictions for selected high-quality scrap streams where domestic remelting capacity exceeds available supply.
That creates an unusual market dynamic: the United States imports substantial volumes of aluminum scrap, particularly from neighboring Canada and Mexico, while also exporting large quantities to overseas markets.
The explanation lies partly in differences between grades, alloy composition, location, processing capability and end-market demand.
Aluminum Scrap Is Outside Current Section 232 Aluminum Article List
Trade policy adds another layer to the import picture.
Under the current U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule provisions implementing Section 232 aluminum duties, the list of covered aluminum articles includes unwrought aluminum under HTS heading 7601 and several fabricated aluminum categories.
Aluminum waste and scrap under HTS heading 7602 is not included in that Section 232 aluminum-article list.
The distinction matters because primary aluminum and many fabricated products face a different tariff environment from recyclable aluminum scrap.
This is not simply a Canada-specific exemption. The current Section 232 aluminum classification itself does not list HTS 7602 as a covered aluminum article.
Other country-specific duties or trade rules may still apply depending on origin and classification, so Section 232 treatment should not be interpreted as a blanket statement that every aluminum scrap shipment enters the United States free of all possible duties.
Imported Scrap Supports Expanding U.S. Recycling Capacity
U.S. aluminum companies have invested heavily in new secondary production and recycling capacity.
The Aluminum Association says the industry has invested more than $11 billion in domestic plants and operations over the past decade, primarily in recycling and mid- and downstream manufacturing.
New rolling mills, billet facilities, recycling centers and secondary smelting projects increase competition for suitable recovered aluminum.
As those projects ramp up, access to sufficient mill-ready scrap is becoming an increasingly important operating consideration.
The first-half import figures suggest North American suppliers are playing a growing role in filling that requirement.
Market Read
The H1 2026 data show that imported aluminum scrap has become an increasingly important component of the U.S. secondary metal supply chain.
Volumes have risen from 321,000 tonnes in the first half of 2024 to 580,000 tonnes two years later, an increase of more than 80%.
Most of that growth is concentrated close to home. Canada now supplies nearly two-thirds of imported material, and Canada and Mexico together account for almost 87%.
That concentration provides logistical advantages and reflects the deeply integrated North American aluminum market, but it also means U.S. secondary producers are increasingly exposed to the availability and trade policy governing regional scrap flows.
The broader structural picture points in the same direction. With roughly 85% of domestic aluminum production now secondary and additional recycling capacity coming online, competition for quality scrap is likely to remain an important issue for U.S. mills, remelters and processors.
For the recycling sector, the question is no longer simply how much scrap the United States generates. It is whether domestic collection, imports, exports and processing capacity remain sufficiently aligned to supply the grades and volumes required by a rapidly expanding secondary aluminum industry.
