UK Recovered Steel Export Restrictions Threaten £5 Billion Recycling Industry

Steel Industry Transition Sparks Concerns Over Recovered Steel Export Restrictions

Britain’s shift to low-carbon electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking will reshape the scrap steel market. The country aims to fully phase out blast furnaces by 2050, which will sharply increase domestic demand for recovered steel. To secure supply, several industry groups now advocate for recovered steel export restrictions.

However, a new report from Sheffield Hallam University, commissioned by the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), argues that such restrictions could cause serious harm. The study shows that even if every U.K. furnace switches to EAFs and uses only scrap steel, domestic needs would cover just two-thirds of the annual recovered steel supply. The remaining third still requires export to keep the market stable.

BMRA CEO James Kelly warns that limiting exports would damage the industry’s global competitiveness. “Exports are the lifeblood of the U.K. metals recycling industry,” he said. “Curtailing them risks collapsing a sector that supports over 15,000 direct jobs and contributes £9 billion to the economy each year.”

Economic Risks of Recovered Steel Export Restrictions

The report outlines the financial consequences of restricting U.K. scrap metal exports under several policy scenarios. One key example involves an export ban to Turkey, Britain’s largest destination for recovered steel. Such a move would slash £2 billion ($2.69 billion) from gross value added (GVA) and eliminate over 6,800 jobs.

Professor Will Eadson of Sheffield Hallam University stresses the need for balanced policymaking. “Even modest changes to trade policy can create long-term disruption,” he noted. The study calls for risk-based trade impact tools, stronger collaboration between stakeholders, and diversification of international markets to soften economic shocks.

The research concludes that protecting domestic supply must not come at the cost of dismantling a globally integrated industry. The U.K.’s steel supply chain relies on metals recycling to remain efficient, competitive, and sustainable—both at home and abroad.

SuperMetalPrice Commentary:

This report marks a critical moment for U.K. metals policy. As the global steel sector pivots to greener production, securing domestic scrap supply is a valid concern. Yet, restricting recovered steel exports introduces far greater economic risks. The data makes it clear: the U.K. produces more scrap than it consumes, and its ability to trade freely ensures price stability, investment, and global positioning. Smart policy must foster cooperation—not protectionism—across recycling, production, and regulation.