Global Recycled Steel Consumption Falls 0.7% in H1 2026 as India Records 17% Growth

BIR’s latest World Steel Recycling in Figures update reports lower recycled steel use in China and the EU-27, rising imports in Turkey, and increased steel production across several regions, including Africa.

Global recycled steel consumption across key countries and regions declined by 0.7% year on year to 234.1 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, according to the January–June update of the 17th edition of World Steel Recycling in Figures, reviewed by BIR Ferrous Statistics Advisor Rolf Willeke. The report also records a 0.7% fall in global crude steel production to 931.5 million tonnes, while India registered a 17% increase in recycled steel usage and Turkey remained the leading importer of recycled steel.

Global Crude Steel Production Declines 0.7%

Global crude steel production reached 931.5 million tonnes in January–June 2026, down 0.7% compared with the same period in 2025, according to worldsteel data covering 70 countries.

Production increased in Africa, Other Europe and North America, while Asia/Oceania, the EU-27, the Middle East, South America, and Russia & other CIS plus Ukraine recorded declines.

Asia/Oceania remained the largest crude steel-producing region, despite a 0.9% year-on-year decrease to 690.1 million tonnes. Production in other regions was as follows:

Africa: Up 10% to 12.6 million tonnes.
EU-27: Down 0.3% to 65.4 million tonnes.
Other Europe: Up 5.6% to 22.1 million tonnes.
Middle East: Down 7.3% to 25.9 million tonnes.
North America: Up 5.7% to 56.5 million tonnes.
South America: Down 0.8% to 20.5 million tonnes.
Russia & other CIS plus Ukraine: Down 8% to 38.6 million tonnes.

Direct Reduced Iron Production Falls 1%

Direct reduced iron (DRI) production is an important indicator of progress in the transition towards green steel. According to worldsteel, output among the 12 reporting countries totalled 61.8 million tonnes during the first six months of 2026, representing a 1% decline year on year.

India remained the largest DRI producer, with output increasing 6% to 31 million tonnes. Other countries recording growth included Argentina, where production rose 21.8% to 0.531 million tonnes; Mexico, up 19.9% to 3.41 million tonnes; Venezuela, up 3.3% to 0.152 million tonnes; Russia, up 1.9% to 4.251 million tonnes; and South Africa, up 258.5% to 0.077 million tonnes.

Production declined in Canada by 2.6% to 0.777 million tonnes, Iran by 13.2% to 13.976 million tonnes, Qatar by 20.4% to 0.928 million tonnes, and Saudi Arabia by 28.4% to 2.33 million tonnes.

Recycled Steel Consumption Drops 7.1% in China

Across the key countries and regions covered by the report, recycled steel consumption declined 0.7% year on year to 234.1 million tonnes in the first half of 2026. Over the same period, crude steel production in these markets fell 0.7% to 787 million tonnes.

Recycled steel usage increased in the USA, India, Turkey, Japan and South Korea, while China and the EU-27 recorded declines.

China remained the world’s largest recycled steel consumer, but its usage fell 7.1% year on year to 101.32 million tonnes. The decrease exceeded the 3% decline in the country’s crude steel production, which totalled 500 million tonnes.

In the EU-27, recycled steel consumption decreased 3.2% to 38.138 million tonnes, compared with a 0.3% decline in crude steel production. The USA recorded growth in both recycled steel consumption, which rose 9.3% to 29.4 million tonnes, and crude steel production, which increased 6.3% to 42.8 million tonnes.

India posted the strongest increase in recycled steel consumption among the markets for which data were available. Its usage rose 17% year on year to 22.5 million tonnes, while crude steel production increased 7.1% to 87 million tonnes.

Turkey also recorded increases in recycled steel usage and crude steel production. Consumption rose 4.8% to 16.8 million tonnes, while production increased 8.1% to 19.8 million tonnes.

Japan’s recycled steel consumption grew 1.6% to 15.14 million tonnes, although crude steel production declined 0.4% to 40.4 million tonnes. South Korea recorded a 4.9% increase in recycled steel usage to 10.8 million tonnes and a 2.1% rise in crude steel production to 31.7 million tonnes.

Recycled Steel Share of Crude Steel Production

During the first half of 2026, recycled steel accounted for the following shares of crude steel production:

USA: 68.7%
EU-27: 58.3%
Japan: 37.5%
South Korea: 34%
India: 25.9%
China: 20.3%

Turkey recorded the highest share among these markets, with recycled steel accounting for 84.9% of its crude steel production.

Turkey’s Recycled Steel Imports Increase 3.1%

Turkey remained the world’s largest recycled steel importer in January–June 2026. Its imports increased 3.1% year on year to 9.696 million tonnes.

The leading suppliers were the USA, which supplied 1.773 million tonnes, up 2.9%; the Netherlands, down 20% to 1.202 million tonnes; the UK, up 20.8% to 1.117 million tonnes; Romania, up 56.8% to 0.749 million tonnes; and Belgium, down 0.3% to 0.739 million tonnes.

The EU-27 ranked second among global recycled steel importers, with volumes rising 8.4% to 2.69 million tonnes during the first half of the year.

Imports also increased in the USA, up 11.8% to 2.511 million tonnes; Pakistan, up 20.6% to 1.504 million tonnes; Mexico, up 77.2% to 1.174 million tonnes; and Thailand, up 5% to 1.086 million tonnes.

By contrast, India’s imports declined 49.1% to 2.330 million tonnes, Vietnam’s fell 19% to 1.803 million tonnes, and Taiwan’s decreased 20% to 0.760 million tonnes.

EU-27 Recycled Steel Exports Rise 4.5%

The EU-27 remained the world’s largest recycled steel exporter in the first half of 2026. Its overseas shipments increased 4.5% year on year to 8.520 million tonnes.

Turkey was its leading buyer, importing 5.446 million tonnes, down 2.6%. Exports to Egypt increased 96% to 1.106 million tonnes, while shipments to India declined 11.8% to 0.427 million tonnes. Exports to Pakistan rose 41.2% to 0.355 million tonnes.

The USA retained its position as the world’s second-largest recycled steel exporter, with shipments increasing 2.1% to 6.124 million tonnes. Its principal customers included Turkey, where imports from the USA fell 7.1% to 1.732 million tonnes; Mexico, up 114.7% to 1.194 million tonnes; Thailand, up 57% to 0.496 million tonnes; and Canada, up 57.2% to 0.494 million tonnes.

The UK increased recycled steel exports by 8% to 3.374 million tonnes. Its main buyers were Turkey, with imports down 1.8% to 0.964 million tonnes; Egypt, up 62.8% to 0.804 million tonnes; Morocco, up 26.4% to 0.607 million tonnes; and Pakistan, down 0.2% to 0.431 million tonnes.

Other major exporters also recorded increases. Canada’s outbound shipments grew 31.7% to 2.513 million tonnes, driven mainly by exports to the USA, which rose 22.6% to 1.867 million tonnes.

Australia’s exports increased 18.5% to 1.317 million tonnes. Its key buyers included Bangladesh, with imports up 10.4% to 0.455 million tonnes, and Vietnam, up 41.2% to 0.251 million tonnes.

Singapore recorded a 33% increase in exports to 0.747 million tonnes. Shipments to Bangladesh rose 68.4% to 0.407 million tonnes, while exports to Vietnam increased 17.4% to 0.099 million tonnes.

Japan’s recycled steel exports declined 7.4% year on year to 3.535 million tonnes. Vietnam remained its largest buyer, with imports down 9.8% to 1.515 million tonnes. Exports to Bangladesh increased 23.5% to 0.797 million tonnes, while shipments to South Korea fell 11.3% to 0.551 million tonnes. Exports to Thailand rose 147.4% to 0.288 million tonnes.

Mexico recorded a 21.6% decline in recycled steel exports to 0.55 million tonnes. Shipments to the USA decreased 31.1% to 0.445 million tonnes, while exports to Taiwan fell 59.5% to 0.007 million tonnes.

The report also noted that US and EU export prices followed similar trends during the first six months of 2026.

BIR Report Adds Focus on Africa

The latest update includes additional data on Africa, where crude steel production reached 12.6 million tonnes in the first half of 2026.

Egypt was the continent’s largest crude steel producer, with output of 5.7 million tonnes, an increase of 13.6% year on year. The country was also Africa’s leading recycled steel importer during the period, with imports surging 98.6% to 2.1 million tonnes.

South Africa ranked as Africa’s leading recycled steel exporter, shipping 0.11 million tonnes during January–June 2026. However, its exports declined 33.5% compared with the same period in 2025.

The findings form part of the January–June 2026 update of the 17th edition of World Steel Recycling in Figures, reviewed by BIR Ferrous Statistics Advisor Rolf Willeke.