EXPORTS of scrap paper, metals, and plastics from the US declines for the second consecutive year in 2021 due to tightening environmental restrictions in key overseas markets, reports IHS Media.
However, rebounding manufacturing in those markets is expected to growth in demand for certain scrap metals.
Total US recyclables exports fell 4.7 per cent to 1.3 million TEU last year, the fifth year-on-year decline in the past six years and a 24.8 per cent drop from 2015 volumes.
That overall decline is the largest segment of US recyclables exports, masked a 57.2 per cent increase in ferrous scrap, 18.6 per cent in aluminum, and 27 per cent for copper.
'There is especially strong demand for ferrous scrap,' said Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) chief economist Joe Pickard.
Shipments of scrap paper and paperboard fell 33.3 per cent since peaking at 1.3 million TEU in 2016. China imported 24,041 TEU of US-produced recyclables in 2021, a 98 per cent decrease from 2016 levels.
By contrast, recyclables exports to Southeast Asia increased 578 per cent and 125.8 per cent for the Indian subcontinent.
Paper Tigers president Nick Halper declared recyclables shippers should expect the supply chain disruptions that hampered overall export volumes in 2021 to continue through the end of 2022.
'It's gone from bad to worse,' said Mr Halper. 'We get bookings, and basically, we get rolled every week unless we're lucky.'
SeaNews Turkey
However, rebounding manufacturing in those markets is expected to growth in demand for certain scrap metals.
Total US recyclables exports fell 4.7 per cent to 1.3 million TEU last year, the fifth year-on-year decline in the past six years and a 24.8 per cent drop from 2015 volumes.
That overall decline is the largest segment of US recyclables exports, masked a 57.2 per cent increase in ferrous scrap, 18.6 per cent in aluminum, and 27 per cent for copper.
'There is especially strong demand for ferrous scrap,' said Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) chief economist Joe Pickard.
Shipments of scrap paper and paperboard fell 33.3 per cent since peaking at 1.3 million TEU in 2016. China imported 24,041 TEU of US-produced recyclables in 2021, a 98 per cent decrease from 2016 levels.
By contrast, recyclables exports to Southeast Asia increased 578 per cent and 125.8 per cent for the Indian subcontinent.
Paper Tigers president Nick Halper declared recyclables shippers should expect the supply chain disruptions that hampered overall export volumes in 2021 to continue through the end of 2022.
'It's gone from bad to worse,' said Mr Halper. 'We get bookings, and basically, we get rolled every week unless we're lucky.'
SeaNews Turkey