Scrap Exports by World Countries were Valued at $105 Billion

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) announced publication of 2018 Recycling Industry Yearbook. The yearbook provides up-to-date, comprehensive information and statistics about the global scrap industries and the U.S recycling industry, in particular. It is expected to serve as a baseline for the global scrap market for the years to come.

According to Yearbook data, approximately 110 million tons of scrap was exported globally in 2017, despite the industry specific and international trade related challenges. The exported scrap during the year was worth more than $105 billion. Around the world, nearly 900 million tons of recyclables were consumed by manufacturers.

Meantime, the U.S exported a total of nearly 38 million metric tons of scrap valued at $17.85 billion to as many as 145 countries around the world. These exports accounted for more than one-fourth of the economic activity of the entire scrap recycling industry. China continued to be the major export destination with value of exports totaling $5.6 billion. The other key destinations of U.S. scrap exports were Canada ($2.1 billion), Mexico ($1.1 billion) and Turkey ($1 billion).

The domestic scrap recyclers processed nearly 130 million tons of scrap materials during the year. The country saved CO₂ equivalent of 410 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions through commodity recycling.