Recycled scrap metals in the U.S. 2021, by type

Published by Statista Research Department, May 14, 2024
The United States recycled some 46.7 million metric tons of iron and steel from scrap in 2021 – more than any other metal recycled that year. Ranking second, but by a wide margin, was aluminum, with roughly 3.3 million metric tons recycled. The U.S. is one of the leading exporters of steel scrap worldwide, surpassed only by the European Union.

Selected metals recycled from scrap in the United States in 2021, by type (in 1,000 metric tons)

CharacteristicQuantity in thousand metric tons
Iron and steel 46,700
Aluminum 3,300
Lead 1,060
Copper 840
Chromium 114
Magnesium 103
Nickel 100
Tin 16.6
Showing entries 1 to 8 (8 entries in total)
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Quantity in thousand metric tons46,70046,7003,3003,3001,0601,06084084011411410310310010016.616.6Iron and steelAluminumLeadCopperChromiumMagnesiumNickelTin
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,000

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Release date

April 2023

Region

United States

Survey time period

2021

Supplementary notes

Figures have been rounded.

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