In January-July 2025, Ukrainian enterprises increased exports of ferrous metal scrap by 66.4% compared to the same period last year, to 248,342 thousand tons from 149,229 thousand tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Tuesday, 44,842 thousand tons were exported in July, a record 47,691 thousand tons in June, 28.6 thousand tons in May, in April – 46,321 thousand tons, in March – 39,908 thousand tons, in February – 25,284 thousand tons, and in January – 15,696 thousand tons of scrap metal.
In monetary terms, scrap exports in January-July increased by 57.9% to $75.468 million from $47.801 million.
During this period, scrap exports were formally carried out mainly to Poland (82.17% of shipments in monetary terms), Greece (6.13%), and Italy (4.28%).
In the first seven months of the year, Ukraine imported 34 tons of scrap worth $12,000 from Poland (58.33%), the Seychelles (33.33%), and the British Virgin Islands (8.33%).
As reported, due to the sharp increase in exports of strategic raw materials from Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy initiated the introduction of a licensing and quota regime for scrap exports with a zero quota. A public discussion of the draft resolution is currently underway. Its implementation is expected to contribute to the smooth operation of Ukraine’s metallurgical and foundry industries, as well as to stabilize the situation with the supply of scrap on the domestic market of Ukraine.
In 2024, Ukraine’s scrap metal collection companies increased their exports of ferrous scrap by 60.7% compared to 2023, to 293,190 thousand tons from 182,465 thousand tons. In monetary terms, scrap exports for the year increased by 73.2% to $91.311 million from $52.723 million.
In January-April of this year, ferrous scrap companies increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 52.3% year-on-year to 446 thousand tons from 292.8 thousand tons.
As reported in the operational information of the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet) on Monday, scrap metal procurement in the first four months of this year increased by 53.7% compared to the same period last year – up to 563.4 thousand tons from 366.6 thousand tons.
At the same time, exports of scrap metal for the period amounted to 87.4 thousand tons compared to 56.4 thousand tons in January-April 2023 (an increase of 54.9%). At the same time, imports of scrap amounted to 0.34 thousand tons compared to 0.06 thousand tons in 4 months of 2023.
As of May 1, 2023, the level of scrap metal stocks at Ukrainian steelmaking enterprises was estimated at 25-30 thousand tons.
In 2024, companies dealing with ferrous scrap may increase their scrap procurement by 37-45% year-on-year to 1.75-1.85 million tons.
According to UVTORMET’s forecast, Ukraine will produce 7-7.2 million tons of steel in 2024 (6.228 million tons in 2023 and 6.263 million tons in 2022) and procure 1.75-1.85 million tons of scrap metal (1,277.3 thousand tons in 2023 and 996.7 thousand tons in 2022). Steelmakers are also expected to consume 1.4-1.5 million tons of scrap (1 million 34.7 thousand tons in 2023 and 895.7 thousand tons in 2022) and export 250-300 thousand tons of scrap (182.5 thousand tons and 53.6 thousand tons, respectively), increasing the export of strategic raw materials for steelmakers by 37-64% compared to last year.
Four EU countries – Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Estonia – propose to Brussels to ban the import of waste and scrap ferrous metals, copper and aluminum from Russia.
Such a proposal was presented at a meeting of the European Union Environment Council held on March 25, the Lithuanian Environment Ministry said.
“Lithuania proposes that the European Commission assess all possibilities at EU level and make a proposal to suspend waste imports from Russia to the EU or allow Member States to adopt unilateral restrictive measures. We believe that such imports contribute to financing Russia’s war against Ukraine and should be stopped,” Lithuania’s deputy permanent representative to the EU, Ambassador Jurga Kasputene, said at the council meeting.
According to the Environment Ministry, more than 118 million euros worth of waste and scrap ferrous metals, copper and aluminum were imported from Russia to the EU in 2022-2023. Most of these imports go through Lithuania.
According to the ministry, cross-border transportation of waste is regulated by the Basel Convention and the Waste Transportation Regulation, so individual member states cannot unilaterally ban or restrict such imports.
ALUMINUM, BRUSSELS, COPPER, FERROUS METAL, IMPORTS, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, SCRAP
In 2024, ferrous scrap companies may increase their scrap procurement by 17-33% year-on-year to 1.5-1.7 million tons.
This is the forecast balance of scrap metal production and consumption in the country for 2024, according to the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet).
According to the forecast, Ukraine will produce 6.8-7 million tons of steel in 2024 (6.228 million tons in 2023 and 6.263 million tons in 2022), and will procure 1.5-1.7 million tons of scrap metal (1,277.3 thousand tons in 2023 and 996,000 tons in 2022). tons, in 2022 – 996.7 thousand tons), steel companies will consume 1 million 277.3 thousand tons (in 2022 – 1 million 277.3 thousand tons), and steel companies will consume 1 million 277.3 thousand tons. tons. tons), steelmakers will consume 1.2-1.4 million tons of scrap (in 2023 – 1 million 34.7 thousand tons, in 2022 – 895.7 thousand tons), export 250-300 thousand tons of scrap (182.5 thousand tons and 53.6 thousand tons, respectively), increasing the export of strategic raw materials for steelmakers by 37-64% compared to last year.
In January-November of this year, ferrous scrap enterprises increased scrap supplies to Ukrainian steelmakers by 8.2% year-on-year to 910.9 thousand tons from 841.9 thousand tons.
As reported in the operational information of the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet) on Thursday, scrap metal procurement for 11 months of this year increased by 27.3% compared to the same period last year – up to 1 million 127.6 thousand tons from 886.1 thousand tons.
At the same time, exports of scrap metal for the period amounted to 161 thousand tons compared to 42 thousand tons in January-November 2022 (an increase of 3.83 times). At the same time, imports of scrap amounted to 0.9 thousand tons, while for 11 months of 2022 – 2.3 thousand tons.
As of December 1, 2023, the level of scrap metal stocks at Ukrainian steelmaking enterprises was estimated at 35-40 thousand tons.
As reported, in 2022, Ukraine reduced scrap procurement by 75.9% compared to 2021 – to 996.7 thousand tons from 4.136 million tons. Last year, scrap exports amounted to 53.6 thousand tons, which is 11.5 times less than in the previous year (615.7 thousand tons). At the same time, scrap imports amounted to 1.8 thousand tons (in 2021 – 23 thousand tons).
In 2022, scrap supplies to the country’s steelmaking companies decreased by 73% compared to 2021, to 895.7 thousand tons from 3 million 323.4 thousand tons.
“UAVtormet forecasts ferrous scrap procurement of 1.25-1.3 million tons in 2023. In addition, it is expected that scrap supplies to the country’s steelmakers will amount to 1-1.05 million tons. Exports of scrap metal are expected to reach 180-200 thousand tons, while imports are expected to reach 0.8-1.2 thousand tons. Steel production is expected to reach 5.7-5.9 million tons.
In 2023, enterprises engaged in operations with ferrous metal scrap may increase the volume of scrap metal procurement by 20-25% compared to the previous year – up to 1.2-1.25 million tons.
Such a draft balance of scrap metal formation and consumption in the country for 2023 was recommended for approval by the majority of votes of the members of the working group under the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine.
At the meeting of the working group chaired by the First Deputy Minister Oleg Mozhny considered the issue of approval of the balance of formation and consumption of scrap metal in Ukraine for 2023. The meeting was attended by industry associations: the Ukrainian Association of Secondary Metals (UAVtormet), UAVtormetresurs, the Association of Enterprises “Ukrmetallurgprom”, the Association of Foundrymen of Ukraine (ALU), as well as industry experts and scientists.
According to the draft balance sheet, Ukraine will smelt 5.2-5.6 million tons of steel in 2023 (6.263 million tons were produced in 2022), harvest 1.2-1.25 million tons of scrap metal (in 2022 – 997 thousand tons), metal enterprises will consume 5.2-5.6 million tons of steel (in 2022 – 997 thousand tons). steel companies will consume 0.950-1 million tons of scrap metal (896 thousand tons), export 180-200 thousand tons of scrap metal (53.6 thousand tons), increasing the export of raw materials strategic for metallurgists by 3.4-3.7 times compared to last year.
