ISBN 1-85765-378-5

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary

Market Definition

MARKET SEGMENTATION

MARKET TRENDS

METHODS OF WASTE DISPOSAL

DEFINITION OF SCRAP METAL AS WASTE

SCRAP METAL LICENSING

Table 1: Amount of Scrap Metal Processed in the UK (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 2: Value of Scrap Metal Processed in the UK (£m), 1989-1993

Market Size

THE FERROUS SECTOR

THE NON-FERROUS SECTOR

PRECIOUS METALS

ELECTRONIC SCRAP

BATTERIES

CAN RECYCLING

Table 3: Sales of Steel Scrap by Destination (million tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 4: Domestic Steel Production and the Importance of the Ferrous Scrap Industry (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 5: Mid-Year Prices for Ferrous Metal Scrap (£ per tonne for No. 1 Old Steel), 1986-1994

Table 6: Price of Scrap Steel by Grade at the Beginning of Each Month (£ per tonne), January 1992-October 1994

Table 7: Crude Steel Production and Scrap Consumption (including in-house scrap) in Steelworks and Foundries (million tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 8: The Materials Used in the Production of Iron Castings at Iron Foundries (000 tonnes), 1989-1992

Table 9: The Production, Delivery and Use of Scrap Metal in the Steel Casting Industry (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 10: Imports and Exports of Scrap Iron and Steel by Volume and Value (000 tonnes and £000), 1989-1993

Table 11: Source of Imported Scrap Ferrous Metal (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 12: Exports of Ferrous Scrap by Destination (million tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 13: Destination of Exported Steel Scrap (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 14: UK Exports of Ferrous Scrap Metal by Product (tonnes), 1992-1994

Table 15: Price of UK Ferrous Exports (£ per tonne), 1992-1994

Table 16: Aluminium Scrap Recovered and Amount of Post-Use Scrap Recycled as a Proportion of Consumption (000 tonnes and percent), 1989-1993

Table 17: Copper Scrap Recovered and Amount of Post-Use Scrap Recycled as a Proportion of Consumption (000 tonnes and percent), 1989-1993

Table 18: Lead Scrap Recovered and Amount of Post-Use Scrap Recycled as a Proportion of Consumption (000 tonnes and percent), 1989-1993

Table 19: Principal End Uses for Lead (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 20: Estimated Annual Consumption of Nickel in the UK (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 21: Nickel Scrap Recovered and Amount of Post-Use Scrap Recycled as a Proportion of Consumption (000 tonnes and percent), 1989-1993

Table 22: Demand for Refined Tin in the UK (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 23: Zinc Scrap Recovered and Amount of Post-Use Scrap Recycled as a Proportion of Consumption (000 tonnes and percent), 1989-1993

Table 24: Principal End-Users of Zinc in the UK (000 tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 25: Exports and Imports of Non-Ferrous Scrap Metals (£000), 1989-1993

Table 26: Exports and Imports of Non-Ferrous Scrap Metals (tonnes), 1989-1993

Table 27: The Demand for Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium in the Western World (000 ounces), 1989-1993

Table 28: Consumption and Recovery of Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium by the Automotive Industry in the Western World (000 ounces), 1989-1993

Table 29: Consumption and Recovery of Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium by the Automotive Industry in North America and Japan (000 ounces), 1989-1993

Table 30: Weight of Toxic Metals Used in Batteries in the UK ( percent by weight), 1993

Table 31: The Development of Steel Can Recycling, 1989-1993

Table 32: Aluminium Can Recycling, 1989-1993

Industry Background

INTRODUCTION

INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

CONVENTIONAL SCRAP METAL PROCESSING

FERROUS SCRAP

NON-FERROUS SCRAP

PRECIOUS METALS

STRATEGIC METALS

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

Table 33: The Energy Required For Primary and Secondary Production of Selected Metals (giga joules per tonne), 1992

Competitor Analysis

THE MARKETPLACE

THE FERROUS SCRAP MARKET

STAINLESS STEEL AND OTHER ALLOYS

SPECIAL FERROUS SCRAP MATERIALS

THE NON-FERROUS MARKET

ALUMINIUM

COPPER

LEAD

TIN

ZINC

ELECTRONIC AND PRECIOUS METAL SCRAP

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

THE UK METAL PROCESSING MARKET

FERROUS METALS

ALUMINIUM

COPPER

LEAD

TIN

ZINC

ELECTRONIC SCRAP

BATTERIES

Buying Behaviour

COLLECTION

Outside Suppliers to the Industry

SOURCES OF SCRAP METAL

COLLECTION AND PROMOTION OF RECYCLING SCHEMES

FLUORESCENT TUBES

PRECIOUS METALS

ELECTRONIC SCRAP

THE DOMESTIC WASTE STREAM

VOLUNTARY COLLECTORS

Table 34: An Analysis of the Materials in White Goods ( percent), 1992

Table 35: Weight Balance in Sampled Fragmentiser Output ( percent weight), 1992

Table 36: An Analysis of Domestic Waste ( percent content), 1992

Table 37: Value of the Components of Domestic Waste (million tonnes and £m), 1992

Table 38: Comparative Programme Recovery and Diversion Rates of UK Recycling Schemes, Monitored by Warren Springs Laboratory and Associated Costs, 1992

Table 39: Price Offered to Voluntary Collectors for Non-Ferrous Metals (pence per kilogram at the beginning of the quarter), 1993 and 1994

Current Issues

STEEL

ALUMINIUM

RADIOACTIVE AND OTHER CONTAMINATED SCRAP

BATTERIES

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN SCRAP METAL PROCESSING

Table 40: Founder Membership of Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling

Forecasts

INFLUENCES ON THE MARKET

TARGETS FOR RECYCLING

CONCLUSION

Company Profiles

Further Sources

ASSOCIATIONS

PERIODICALS

DIRECTORIES

GENERAL SOURCES

ICC INFORMATION SOURCES

ICC INFORMATION GROUP LTD

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

OTHER SORCES

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The domestic scrap metal market has recovered from its nadir in 1991 and in currently processes around 5.3 million tonnes of ferrous scrap and a further 647,200 tonnes of non-ferrous scrap. Some consideration is also given to the precious metal, electronics and batteries sectors, all of which will become more significant as recycling technologies improve and the amount of product feedstock increases.

The domestic market is considered to be worth a total of around £681m in raw material values, of which around 57 percent is derived from the ferrous sector, although during the period 1990 to 1992, the domestic market for non-ferrous scrap metals exceeded that for ferrous metals. It is estimated that there are in excess of 10,000 itinerant scrap metal collectors and 750 major companies dealing in ferrous scrap. There are also 850 major dealers in non-ferrous scrap. Nevertheless, the industry is still heavily reliant on the voluntary collection system to keep its costs to a minimum.

One of the most important factors to be addressed is the question of the real cost of collecting and recycling scrap metal. It is suggested that there is little evidence of complete energy audits being carried out within the industry and that much of its direction is to achieve the rates of recycling laid down by the Government and EU Parliament. Concern is also expressed at the high levels of licence charges being imposed on the industry by central government, thus hindering the prospects for a successful and buoyant industry.

The scrap metal industry is heavily influenced by international factors which are invariably outside the control of either the domestic or European markets. The actions of the commodity markets are also very important on the success, or otherwise, of the industry. Special concern is expressed towards the apparent attitude by the EU of ignoring any subsidies paid to national steel producers by their government, despite it going against EU policy. This, in part, has resulted in ferrous scrap prices increasing substantially in the past year or so, thus putting pressure on the UK's steel manufacturers. However, as a result of these increases, the scrap metal dealers are beginning to show profitability after some years of losses.

Text © 1994 Key Note

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