A slab of steel is heated and rolled into a coil of steel at the NLMK Indiana steel mill in Portage, Ind., on March 15, 2018. The mill utilizes recycled scrap steel, melted in an electric arc furnace, to produce new steel. Scott Olson/Getty Images
Experts say short term effects are mixed, but tariffs could boost America’s domestic recycling industry in the long run.
A slab of steel is heated and rolled into a coil of steel at the NLMK Indiana steel mill in Portage, Ind., on March 15, 2018. The mill utilizes recycled scrap steel, melted in an electric arc furnace, to produce new steel. Scott Olson/Getty Images
Why Metal Recyclers Are Optimistic About Tariffs
Experts say short term effects are mixed, but tariffs could boost America’s domestic recycling industry in the long run.
The recycled metals industry is growing domestically and internationally, in part fueled by the rapid expansion of construction and automotive manufacturing. Now, tariffs may be giving it a boost.
The U.S. market for scrap metal recycling registered a growth of 3.7 percent between 2017 and 2021. The global recycled metals market is expected to expand 6 percent from 2025 to 2034, according to an analysis by Precedence Research. It was valued at $2.8 billion in 2024.
