Global stagnation and regional variations in steel recycling

Watari, T; Fishman, T; Wieland, H; Wiedenhofer, D

Global stagnation and regional variations in steel recycling

Watari, T Fishman, T Wieland, H Wiedenhofer, D

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2025, 220, pp. 108363
Issue Date:: 2025-06-30

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Watari, T
dc.contributor.author	Fishman, T
dc.contributor.author	Wieland, H
dc.contributor.author	Wiedenhofer, D
dc.date.accessioned	2026-03-31T01:06:30Z
dc.date.available	2026-03-31T01:06:30Z
dc.date.issued	2025-06-30
dc.identifier.citation	Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2025, 220, pp. 108363
dc.identifier.issn	0921-3449
dc.identifier.issn	1879-0658
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194522
dc.description.abstract	Steel is widely regarded as the world's most recycled material, yet little information exists on just how circular the steel industry actually is, both globally and nationally. This study traces iron and steel flows across the top 30 steel-producing countries, showing that the share of recycled iron inputs into global steelmaking has stagnated at ∼30 % over the past two decades. Although waste management practices have improved, the rapid growth of global in-use steel stock has prevented progress in making steel flows more circular. While some countries show higher recycled content than others, ranging from <10 % to >90 %, this does not necessarily reflect leadership in recycling practices. Rather, high circularity in some places is often supported by low circularity elsewhere through scrap imports or 'offshoring' the production of high-quality flat products. As long as global steel stock continues to grow, improvements in local circularity do not necessarily lead to global progress.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Resources Conservation and Recycling
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108363
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 09 Engineering, 12 Built Environment and Design
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.classification	33 Built environment and design
dc.subject.classification	40 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	41 Environmental sciences
dc.title	Global stagnation and regional variations in steel recycling
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	220
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	09 Engineering
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-03-31T01:06:28Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	220

Abstract:

Steel is widely regarded as the world's most recycled material, yet little information exists on just how circular the steel industry actually is, both globally and nationally. This study traces iron and steel flows across the top 30 steel-producing countries, showing that the share of recycled iron inputs into global steelmaking has stagnated at ∼30 % over the past two decades. Although waste management practices have improved, the rapid growth of global in-use steel stock has prevented progress in making steel flows more circular. While some countries show higher recycled content than others, ranging from <10 % to >90 %, this does not necessarily reflect leadership in recycling practices. Rather, high circularity in some places is often supported by low circularity elsewhere through scrap imports or 'offshoring' the production of high-quality flat products. As long as global steel stock continues to grow, improvements in local circularity do not necessarily lead to global progress.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194522