Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Market Report 2026

The non-ferrous metal recycling market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $236.92 billion in 2025 to $249.23 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing industrial demand for aluminum, copper, and other recycled non-ferrous metals, rising scrap collection and processing capabilities expanding recycling output, growing adoption of recycling to reduce energy consumption compared to primary metal production, expansion of automotive and construction sectors driving demand for recycled metal products, advancements in sorting and separation technologies improving recovery efficiency.

The non-ferrous metal recycling market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $301.77 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing emphasis on circular economy practices encouraging higher recycling rates, rising demand for high-purity recycled metals in electronics and renewable energy sectors, expansion of urban mining initiatives to recover valuable non-ferrous materials from waste streams, increasing investment in automated and AI-enabled recycling systems, accelerating regulatory pressure to reduce carbon emissions boosting adoption of recycled non-ferrous metals. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing scrap collection from end-of-life vehicles and consumer electronics, expansion of dedicated non-ferrous sorting and pre-processing facilities, shift toward higher-purity recycled metal grades to meet tighter quality specifications, growing vertical integration between scrap collectors, recyclers, and metal producers, regional diversification of scrap sourcing to reduce supply and price volatility.

The growing emphasis on sustainable practices is expected to boost the non-ferrous metal recycling market’s growth going forward. Sustainable practices balance economic development, environmental protection, and social well-being to ensure responsible and long-lasting resource use. Increasing demand for such practices stems from tighter government regulations and policies promoting responsible resource management and compliance. Non-ferrous metal recycling supports sustainability by conserving natural resources and cutting down energy consumption, making it vital for eco-friendly manufacturing and waste handling. It also reduces environmental damage by lowering emissions and landfill waste, contributing to a circular economy. For example, a survey by PDI Technologies in April 2024, which included over 1,200 US consumers, revealed that 80% showed interest in buying sustainable products - an increase from 66% in 2022 and 68% in 2023. Consequently, the growing demand for sustainable approaches is fueling the non-ferrous metal recycling market.

Major players in the non-ferrous metal recycling market are driving innovation by developing recycled metal products to boost credibility, comply with regulations, and attract eco-conscious customers. Recycled metal consists of metals recovered from used products, scrap, or industrial waste, then reprocessed for manufacturing reuse. It covers both ferrous metals like steel and iron and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, copper, and brass. For instance, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, a Japanese cement producer, introduced REMINE in January 2024. REMINE is a recycled metal brand that certifies the recycled content in non-ferrous metal products like refined tin and lead. This initiative promotes transparency, traceability, and sustainability by adhering to certified environmental labeling and leveraging advanced recycling technologies.

In September 2024, Germany-based metal recycler Cronimet Holding GmbH acquired MetallPlast Recykling spol. s r.o., a Czech Republic processor and recycler of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals, for an undisclosed sum. Through this acquisition, Cronimet seeks to strengthen its market presence in Central Europe by incorporating MetallPlast Recykling’s expertise, expanding its network of sites and product range, and capitalizing on synergies to improve services and support sustained growth.

Major companies operating in the non-ferrous metal recycling market are Aurubis Aktiengesellschaft, Gerdau North America Corporation, Novelis Inc., Dowa Holdings Co. Ltd., Sims Limited, Chiho Environmental Group Limited, OmniSource Corporation, Alter Trading Corporation, SA Recycling Limited Liability Company, Triple M Metal LP, Harmony Enterprises Inc., MS Enterprises, STEINERT GmbH, Quest Resource Management Group LLC, Jansen Recycling Group B.V., Jain Metal Group, ASM Recycling Inc., Aruhya Enterprises, Stena Metall Aktiebolag, GLE Scrap Metal Inc.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the non-ferrous metal recycling market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the non-ferrous metal recycling market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs on non-ferrous scrap and secondary metals are reshaping the non-ferrous metal recycling market by altering trade flows, input costs, and investment patterns across major regions. Higher import duties on copper, aluminum, and other non-ferrous products raise costs for pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recyclers that depend on cross-border scrap, particularly in North America, Europe, and East Asia, and can squeeze margins in automotive, building and construction, and electrical and electronics end-use segments. Mechanical recyclers focused on locally sourced industrial scrap, end-of-life vehicles, and consumer electronics are often less exposed and can in some cases benefit from greater domestic availability and more favorable pricing for collected scrap. Over time, tariffs are encouraging regionalization of supply chains, new investments in local recycling capacity, and long-term contracts between recyclers and OEMs, which can ultimately strengthen resilience and value creation in the non-ferrous metal recycling ecosystem.

The non-ferrous metal recycling market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides non-ferrous metal recycling market statistics, including the non-ferrous metal recycling industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the non-ferrous metal recycling market share, detailed non-ferrous metal recycling market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the non-ferrous metal recycling industry. These non-ferrous metal recycling market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

Non-ferrous metal recycling involves the collection, processing, and reuse of metals that do not contain iron. These metals are sorted, cleaned, and melted to be repurposed across various industries. Recycling non-ferrous metals helps conserve natural resources, lowers energy usage, and reduces environmental impact by reusing valuable materials.

The primary methods used in non-ferrous metal recycling include mechanical recycling, pyrometallurgical recycling, hydrometallurgical recycling, and biotechnology-based recycling. Mechanical recycling involves physically breaking down and reprocessing waste materials, such as plastics, into new products without altering their chemical composition. This process is classified by the type of non-ferrous metal, including copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, nickel, graphite, and precious metals, and further segmented by scrap sources like industrial scrap, end-of-life vehicles, construction and demolition debris, consumer electronics, and household appliances. These recycled metals supply various industries, including automotive, building and construction, electrical and electronics, industrial machinery, and others.

The countries covered in the non-ferrous metal recycling market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The non-ferrous metal recycling market consists of sales of recycled metal ingots or billets, metal sheets, plates, wires, rods, castings and components. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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