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Where does the United States get its iron and steel scrap? Import sources 2024

In 2024, the United States imported $2 billion of iron and steel scrap (4.7 million tonnes), 4.4% of the world total. Canada sold 66% of the total, followed by Mexico (23%) and the Netherlands (3%). The United States was the world’s 5th-largest importer of iron and steel scrap.

Summary

Value
$2billion
Tonnes
4.7million tonnes
Share of world total
4.4%
World rank
5th
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Canada1.3Tonnes: 3,259,320USD per tonne: $39866.3%Sea
Mexico0.46Tonnes: 1,024,873USD per tonne: $44723.4%Sea
Netherlands re-exports0.06Tonnes: 117,888USD per tonne: $4822.9%Sea
Sweden0.05Tonnes: 101,723USD per tonne: $4802.5%Sea
United Kingdom0.03Tonnes: 97,702USD per tonne: $3561.8%Sea
Poland0.03Tonnes: 60,858USD per tonne: $4531.4%Sea
China0.01Tonnes: 4,019USD per tonne: $1,2730.26%Sea
Japan< 0.01Tonnes: 17,166USD per tonne: $2640.23%Sea
Honduras< 0.01Tonnes: 898USD per tonne: $4,4190.2%Sea
Egypt< 0.01Tonnes: 1,413USD per tonne: $1,2400.09%Sea
Brazil< 0.01Tonnes: 1,723USD per tonne: $9710.09%Sea
Taiwan< 0.01Tonnes: 568USD per tonne: $2,4700.07%Sea
Malaysia< 0.01Tonnes: 784USD per tonne: $1,7700.07%Sea
Denmark< 0.01Tonnes: 534USD per tonne: $2,5800.07%Sea
Germany< 0.01Tonnes: 658USD per tonne: $2,0080.07%Sea
Cayman Islands< 0.01Tonnes: 4,011USD per tonne: $2740.06%Sea
Barbados< 0.01Tonnes: 661USD per tonne: $1,3940.05%Sea
Hong Kong re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 482USD per tonne: $1,4760.04%Sea
Dominican Republic< 0.01Tonnes: 526USD per tonne: $1,2530.03%Sea
Australia< 0.01Tonnes: 1,278USD per tonne: $5120.03%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Canada was its main source throughout the period

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Canada 1.3
  • Mexico 0.46
  • Netherlands 0.06
  • Sweden 0.05
  • United Kingdom 0.03

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Canada0.231.3
Mexico0.040.46
Netherlands< 0.010.06
Sweden00.05
United Kingdom< 0.010.03

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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