Ferrous scrap market statistics - BIR

The Bureau of Recycling International (BIR) has published a report: "World Steel Recycling in Figures". The report was presented at the World Recycling Convention in Dubai and provides a comprehensive analysis of scrap metal markets around the world.

According to the report, global crude steel production rose 1 percent in 2014 to 1.665 billion tonnes. The share of Oxygen Furnace (BOF) production has increased significantly over the year and accounts for nearly three quarters of global production. Most metallurgical enterprises switch to the shipment of steel by road and everywhere install truck scales 60 tons , a tractor. On the other hand, EAF production showed a slight decline throughout the year.

Global scrap consumption in the steel industry last year was 585 million tonnes, slightly higher (by 0.9 percent) compared to 580 million tonnes of scrap consumption during 2013. At the same time, the consumption of steel scrap has grown significantly in the United States. Scrap metal use in the US steel industry rose 5.1 percent year over year. Other countries that reported an increase in scrap metal use were the EU-28 (+ 1 percent), China (+ 3 percent) and Japan (+ 0.6 percent). Meanwhile, South Korea and Russia reduced their use of scrap steel during the year. Scrap consumption by Korea and Russia decreased by 0.3 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively.

Key scrap importing countries reported declines in scrap consumption over the year. China's new policy to stimulate domestic activity led to a 42.6 percent decline in Chinese scrap steel imports from the previous year. Other countries reporting a drop in scrap steel imports: Turkey (-3.2 percent), South Korea (-13.6 percent), Taiwan (-4.1 percent), EU-28 (-2.0 percent), Indonesia (-10.9 percent) and Canada (-12.9 percent). Meanwhile, Thailand's scrap imports rose 43.9 percent. Imports to India and the United States also rose 1.1 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively.

During 2014, the EU-28 region has developed into a leading exporter of scrap steel. However, exports increased slightly, by 0.3 percent, to 16.859 million tons per year. US scrap metal exports fell 17.1 percent to 15.34 million tons. Japan's scrap steel exports fell 9.6 percent to 7.351 tonnes in 2014. Russian exports amounted to 4.2 million tons.