Except for Turkey, global scrap use has fallen

According to the latest statistics from BIR, wasteful consumption in most major markets declined in the first quarter, while wasteful consumption in Turkey increased. The authors of the statistical report, Rolf Willeke, and Daniela Entzian said that in the first quarter, China’s scrap consumption fell by 9% to 41.53 million tons, while Japan and South Korea, The consumption of scrap steel has also fallen sharply, dropping by 13% and 8% respectively to 7.8 million tons and 6.7 million tons. The report summary did not explain whether the decline in scrap use, especially in Southeast Asia, was related to the initial outbreak of new coronary pneumonia in the region. On the other hand, in the first quarter, Turkish scrap consumption increased by 13% year-on-year to 7.4 million tons, which were higher than the country’s 10% increase in crude steel production. The reason was that scrap-intensive electric furnace production rose sharply to 6.1 million tons, a year-on-year increase. 15%.

28 countries of the European Union are still the world's major exporters of scrap steel, with exports increasing by 10% in the first quarter to 5.9 million tons. The most significant growth in exports was in the following markets: Turkey (increased by 18% to 3.6 million tons). Egypt (increased by 50% to 500,000 tons) and Pakistan (increased by 39% to 400,000 tons). In addition, the export volume of scrap steel from Japan and Russia also grew in the first quarter, increasing by 36% and 30% respectively, reaching 2.4 million tons and 1.1 million tons. In terms of imports, in the first quarter, Turkey’s purchases of overseas scrap increased by 36% year-on-year to 5.3 million tons, while the scrap imported from Mexico increased by 28% year-on-year to 500,000 tons. In contrast, South Korea’s imports fell by 33% to 1.3 million tons.