According to Assofermet, the association representing Italian distributors of scrap, raw materials and steel products, it is important to maintain a substantial free trade agreement for scrap between the EU and non-EU countries, agreeing with what has also been recently stated by German associations such as BVSE, VDM and BDSV. The topic has, in fact, been under discussion in the European Parliament for months as part of the changes that in the medium term will affect the regulatory framework that has long regulated shipments of waste (EC Reg. No. 1013/2006).
According to Assofermet, it is necessary to safeguard exports to non-EU countries if in those countries the final recycling is certain and does not harm the environment, the land, and people.
It is certain, according to Assofermet, that, overall, the trend of ferrous scrap exports to non-EU countries can be attributed to the lack of assimilation by the EU steel industry, for structural and historical reasons, and to the reduction in steel production. In addition, Assofermet points out that, from an environmental point of view, the use of the surplus amount of ferrous scrap not needed by the EU steel industry and exported to non-EU countries is not to be considered wasted, as it contributes to global CO2 savings.
“Should solutions be arrived at that would undermine exports, the damage to all regular scrap suppliers would be great and inevitable right from the start, with obvious consequences: repercussions on the EU market; job losses; and cessation of collection of low-quality scrap (which requires high processing costs),” Assofermet said. It added, “The impact would be negative and would ultimately fall on the "Circular Economy”, in the face of collection targets that are already being announced upward again in further amendments to the various EU Waste Framework Directives.”