Global ferrous markets remain exposed to geopolitical instability, energy supply disruptions, protectionist policies, volatile freight rates and changing trade patterns.

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has published the 17th edition of World Steel Recycling in Figures. The report covers the period from 2021 to 2025 and contains 60 graphs and tables on steel production, steel recycling and international trade flows.

Steel is one of the cornerstones of European industry. However, around five percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU are generated in steel mills, which significantly increases the pressure to act on decarbonization. An important lever for this transformation is the higher use of steel scrap. While scrap demand in Europe will increase significantly in the coming years, the amount of high-quality scrap available today is not sufficient to meet the expected demand in industrial applications. In this mixed situation, a raw material stream that has received little attention so far comes into play: disused ships. The report "Scrap steel at sea: How ship recycling can help decarbonise European steel production" by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, Sandbag and the University of Tuscia highlights the strategic role this scrap stream could play and how untapped potential can be unlocked.

The project will demonstrate the production of high-purity green metal using renewable energy for hydrogen-based reduction and smelting technologies for further downstream steel processing. The project incorporates Metso's Circored fluidized bed direct reduction process and electric DRI Smelting Furnace to support low-emission steelmaking.

The facility will replace the current recycling plant, which entered operation in 2006. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2027. During the building phase, recycling operations at the existing site will continue without interruption.

The report presents updated data on circular plastics production, conversion, consumption, trade flows and waste management across Europe. It shows that annual growth in circular plastics production fell from 13.6 percent in 2022 to 1.2 percent in 2024. Total circular plastics output reached 8.7 million tonnes, representing 15.8 percent of overall plastics production in Europe. By comparison, global circular plastics production accelerated from 5 percent to 7.7 percent annual growth during the same period.

EREMA has received the Plastics Recycling Award Europe 2026 for its VOLEX technology, which improves degassing performance in mechanical plastics recycling.