BIR urges EU to review scrap export restrictions

The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has urged the European Commission to reconsider proposed restrictions on scrap exports to major non-OECD markets and extend its consultation period by four weeks, to at least 13 November 2026.

BIR has submitted its official response to the Commission’s draft list of non-OECD countries authorized to import certain non-hazardous waste from the EU under the Waste Shipment Regulation. The proposed list would exclude several major markets for EU exports of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap.

The organization is calling for a reassessment of the proposed restrictions and their supporting evidence and legal basis. It says an extension would give affected countries and territories more time to consult ministries, regulators and recycling facilities, address the Commission’s findings and submit additional evidence before the final list is established.

While supporting the objective of ensuring environmentally sound waste management, BIR warns that the restrictions could disrupt established scrap supply chains, distort markets and limit access to recycled metals in importing countries.

European recyclers already supply most of their output to domestic industry, but export markets remain essential when European demand or suitable processing capacity cannot absorb available scrap grades and volumes. BIR argues that restricting exports would not automatically create additional demand or recycling capacity in Europe and could instead undermine the economics of scrap collection and recycling, affecting the future availability of recycled materials.