Germany exported 5.18 million tonnes of scrap in January-August

In January-August 2026, Germany kept its ferrous scrap exports stable compared to the same period in 2025. This was reported citing data from the country’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).

Exports for the period amounted to 5.18 million tonnes with a total value of €2.4 billion. In the 8 months of last year, these volumes stood at 5.19 million tonnes.

Scrap imports in January-August increased by 8% y/y to 3 million tonnes, worth €1.4 billion.

However, according to Destatis, despite stable export figures, there have been changes in volumes by destination country. In particular, over the 8 months, supplies to Italy grew significantly – the country imported 1.1 million tonnes and became the largest buyer of German scrap for the period.

At the same time, low water levels in the Rhine, Danube and Oder disrupted scrap supplies to the German steel industry, as several German recycling and waste management associations stated earlier.

German scrap prices remained unchanged in October, despite expectations of an increase amid higher market activity. Most sources expect market conditions to remain unchanged in November, with logistical problems and high transportation costs persisting.

As a reminder, in 2025 Germany increased its ferrous scrap exports by 5% y/y to 7.7 million tonnes. The value of these exports last year amounted to €4.54 billion. Scrap imports into the country decreased by 9% y/y over the period, to 3.98 million tonnes, worth €2.3 billion.

Courtesy : https://gmk.center/