World Steel Recycling in Figures: January-March 2025 update

Global crude steel production totalled 468.6 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2025 for a small decrease of 0.4% over the same period last year, according to worldsteel. Data in our table show higher crude steel production in Africa, Asia/Oceania and South America. Decreases were registered in the EU-27, Other Europe, the Middle East and the CIS, while production in North America was unchanged from January-March 2024.

The biggest crude steel producer was Asia/Oceania on 348.8 million tonnes (+0.5% versus January-March 2024). Elsewhere, the totals and percentage changes in relation to the opening three months of last year were as follows: Africa (+1.4% to 5.7 million tonnes); the EU-27 (-2.5% to 32.4 million tonnes); Other Europe (-8.1% to 10.5 million tonnes); the Middle East (- 8.0% to 13.3 million tonnes); North America (no change at 26.9 million tonnes); the CIS (-2.6% to 20.5 million tonnes); and South America (+0.5% to 10.5 million tonnes).

BIR’s use of the term “recycled steel”

As explained previously, the BIR Ferrous Division uses the term “recycled steel” rather than “steel scrap” in order to resonate more effectively with the public when highlighting the importance of our material for global steelmaking.

From our own calculations and those of worldsteel, it can be concluded that some 630 million tonnes of recycled steel are used each year in global steel production, thereby preventing almost 950 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions while also saving energy and conserving natural resources. The term “recycled steel” also reinforces the importance of our material for “green” steelmaking.

China’s recycled steel usage drops 1.6%

In the first quarter of 2025, recycled steel usage headed lower in China, the EU-27, the USA, Japan, Turkey and South Korea whereas an increase was registered in India.

China’s crude steel production climbed 0.6% year on year to 259.3 million tonnes; but while the country retained its position as the world’s largest consumer of recycled steel, its usage actually dropped 1.6% versus January-March last year to 57.62 million tonnes.

Compared to the 2.5% decrease in its steel production, the EU-27’s recycled steel usage fell by a significantly steeper 7.1% in the first quarter of this year to 19.051 million tonnes. Similarly in the USA, steel production fell just 0.6% year on year to 19.7 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2025 whereas recycled steel usage tumbled 14.9% to 13.02 million tonnes. In Japan too, the 7.8% decline in recycled steel usage to 7.403 million tonnes was sharper than the 4.9% drop in steel production to 20.4 million tonnes. And it was the same for South Korea whose recycled steel usage slumped 25.15% to 4.824 million tonnes and yet its steel production was only 3.6% lower at 15.5 million tonnes.

In Turkey, meanwhile, recycled steel usage edged just 1% lower to 7.243 million tonnes in January-March this year whereas steel production dipped 3.4% to 9.3 million tonnes. And in a very positive first quarter for India, recycled steel usage jumped 19.1% year on year to 10.06 million tonnes while crude steel production gained 6.8% in reaching 40.1 million tonnes.

Turkey’s overseas recycled steel purchases fall 11.5%

The first quarter of this year brought an 11.5% reduction in Turkey’s overseas recycled steel purchases to 4.716 million tonnes. However, the country remained the world`s foremost recycled steel importer, with its main suppliers being the Netherlands (+4.9% year on year to 0.843 million tonnes), the USA (-23.1% to 0.776 million tonnes) and the UK (-20.6% to 0.466 million tonnes).

India remained the world’s second-largest recycled steel importer in the first three months of 2025 (-0.4% to 2.28 million tonnes), with its main suppliers being the USA (-9% to 0.42 million tonnes), the UK (-24.0% to 0.25 million tonnes) and Poland (-50% to 0.08 million tonnes).

Higher recycled steel imports were recorded in the first quarter of 2025 by the USA (+1.4% to 1.110 million tonnes), the EU-27 (+5% to 1.042 million tonnes), Pakistan (+9.9% to 0.625 million tonnes) and Thailand (+66.1% to 0.483 million tonnes). By contrast, import declines were posted by Vietnam (-29.5% to 0.983 million tonnes) and Taiwan (-40.2% to 0.457 million tonnes).

EU-27 remains world’s top recycled steel exporter

The EU-27 maintained its position as the world’s leading recycled steel exporter in the first quarter of 2025 with an increase of 4% in its overseas shipments to 4.578 million tonnes. The main buyers were Turkey (+9.4% to 3.125 million tonnes), Egypt (-35.5% to 0.352 million tonnes) and India (+78.9% to 0.249 million tonnes). 

Despite a decline in its recycled steel shipments during the first quarter of 2025 (-12.3% year on year to 2.930 million tonnes), the USA remained the world’s second-largest recycled steel exporter. Its main customers were Turkey (-3.6% to 0.900 million tonnes), India (+69.8% to 0.378 million tonnes) and Mexico (-48.2% to 0.339 million tonnes).

Also in the first quarter of 2025, recycled steel exports increased out of Japan (+16.8% year on year to 1.867 million tonnes), the UK (+4% to 1.629 million tonnes), Australia (+1.8% to 0.552 million tonnes) and Mexico (+25% to 0.354 million tonnes). Conversely, overseas shipments of recycled steel were lower out of Canada (-19.1% to 0.943 million tonnes) and Hong Kong (-11.2% to 0.267 million tonnes).

US and EU recycled steel export prices followed a largely parallel course in the first three months of 2025.