Scrap collection in Ukraine in 2024 amounted to only 1.7 million tons

The volume of ferrous scrap collection in Ukraine in 2024 increased by 37% y/y and amounted to more than 1.7 million tons. Scrap deliveries to steel enterprises for the same period amounted to 1.34 million tons (30% y/y).

This was reported by the President of the Association “UAVtormet” Volodymyr Bubley during the Coordination meeting on topical issues of activity of scrap collection and processing industries in 2025.

“The increase in scrap collection compared to 2023 we have 37%. That is, we outpaced the growth rate of steel production (21%). If in 2023 steelmakers on average consumed 166 kg of scrap per ton of steel, in 2024 – already 177 kg. That is, we observe a significant increase in scrap consumption in the domestic market”, said Volodymyr Bubley.

“UAVtormet” expects that in 2025 steel production will be 6.5-6.8 million tons. The scrap market indicators at the end of 2025 are expected to be as follows:

• scrap collection – 1.45-1.65 million tons;
• domestic consumption of scrap – 1.1-1.2 million tons;
• export – growth up to 350 thousand tons.

Exports of ferrous scrap from Ukraine in 2024 increased by 60.7% compared to 2023 – up to 293.2 thousand tons. In 2023, the volume of shipments of raw materials abroad exceeded 182.5 thousand tons, which is 3.4 times more y/y, while in 2022 the indicator was at the level of 54.1 thousand tons.

“In the coming years, Ukraine will need more and more available scrap to produce steel with lower CO2 emissions. We are talking about increasing the share of scrap in blast furnace steelmaking and using scrap in modern EAF-DRI furnaces, which will replace blast furnace production in the EU and globally. Scrap availability at the national level plays an increasing role in the competitiveness of the steel industry in the EU as a whole and in each European country (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Poland and others) producing steel in particular,” comments Stanislav Zinchenko, CEO of GMK Center.

As GMK Center reported, according to the results of 2023, the volume of ferrous scrap collection in Ukraine increased by 28.1% – up to 1.27 million tons compared to 2022. Scrap deliveries to steel mills for the same period amounted to 1.034 million tons (+15.4% y/y).