BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition, Malaga, (25) 26-27 October 2026: BIR Ferrous Statistics Advisor Rolf Willeke reviews some of the key findings of the January-June 2026 update of the 17th edition of “World Steel Recycling in Figures”, including additional data relating to Africa.
Global crude steel production totalled 931.5 million tonnes in the first half of 2026 for a decrease of 0.7% over the same period last year, according to worldsteel data covering 70 countries. Higher crude steel production was recorded in Africa, Other Europe and North America whereas decreases were registered in Asia/Oceania, the EU-27, the Middle East and South America, as well as in Russia & other CIS plus Ukraine.
The largest crude steel-producing region remained Asia/Oceania despite a drop of 0.9% year on year in the first half of 2026 to 690.1 million tonnes. Elsewhere, production totals and percentage changes in relation to the first six months of 2025 were as follows: Africa (+10% to 12.6 million tonnes); the EU-27 (-0.3% to 65.4 million tonnes); Other Europe (+5.6% to 22.1 million tonnes); the Middle East (-7.3% to 25.9 million tonnes); North America (+5.7% to 56.5 million tonnes); South America (-0.8% to 20.5 million tonnes); and Russia & other CIS plus Ukraine (-8% to 38.6 million tonnes).
Direct reduced iron output down by 1%
Direct reduced iron (DRI) production is an important indicator for the green steel transition. According to worldsteel, global DRI production among the 12 reporting countries reached 61.8 million tonnes in January-June 2026 for a 1% reduction compared to the same period last year.
India remained by far the largest DRI producer, with output climbing 6% year on year to 31 million tonnes. Solid increases were also posted by Argentina (+21.8% to 0.531 million tonnes), Mexico (+19.9% to 3.41 million tonnes), Venezuela (+3.3% to 0.152 million tonnes), Russia (+1.9% to 4.251 million tonnes) and South Africa (+258.5% to 0.077 million tonnes).
By contrast, lower DRI production was recorded by Canada (-2.6% to 0.777 million tonnes), Iran (-13.2% to 13.976 million tonnes), Qatar (-20.4% to 0.928 million tonnes) and Saudi Arabia (-28.4% to 2.33 million tonnes).
Recycled steel use down 7.1% in China
Among our key countries and regions in the first half of 2026, recycled steel usage was 0.7% lower year on year at 234.1 million tonnes; this compares to a decrease in crude steel production of 0.7% to 787 million tonnes. Recycled steel usage headed higher in the USA, India, Turkey, Japan and South Korea whereas decreases were registered in China and the EU-27.
China retained its position as the world’s largest consumer of recycled steel although, in January-June 2026, its usage fell 7.1% year on year to 101.32 million tonnes. This decrease was steeper than the 3% reduction in the country’s crude steel production to 500 million tonnes.
The EU-27 recorded a recycled steel consumption drop of 3.2% to 38.138 million tonnes as compared to the aforementioned 0.3% decline in its crude steel production, while the USA saw growth both in its recycled steel consumption (+9.3% to 29.4 million tonnes) and in its crude steel production (+6.3% to 42.8 million tonnes).
In January-June 2026, India delivered the strongest positive performance among the markets for which recycled steel consumption data are currently available: the country’s usage jumped 17% year on year to 22.5 million tonnes while its crude steel production rose 7.1% to 87 million tonnes.
Also during the first half of 2026, Turkey recorded growth in recycled steel usage (+4.8% to 16.8 million tonnes) and in crude steel production (+8.1% to 19.8 million tonnes). Japan´s recycled steel consumption increased by 1.6% to 15.14 million tonnes while its crude steel production declined by 0.4% to 40.4 million tonnes. And South Korea saw gains of 4.9% in recycled steel consumption to 10.8 million tonnes and of 2.1% in crude steel production to 31.7 million tonnes.
In the first half of 2026, the share of recycled steel in crude steel production was 68.7% in the USA, 58.3% in the EU-27, 37.5% in Japan, 34% in South Korea, 25.9% in India and 20.3% in China. Turkey is particularly noteworthy: during the same period, recycled steel accounted for 84.9% of its total crude steel production.
Turkey’s recycled steel imports increase by 3.1%
Turkey retained its position as the world’s leading recycled steel importer in the first half of 2026. Its overseas purchases climbed 3.1% year on year to 9.696 million tonnes, with its leading suppliers being the USA (+2.9% to 1.773 million tonnes), the Netherlands (-20% to 1.202 million tonnes), the UK (+20.8% to 1.117 million tonnes), Romania (+56.8% to 0.749 million tonnes) and Belgium (-0.3% to 0.739 million tonnes).
The EU-27 ranked second among global recycled steel importers, with an increase of 8.4% to 2.69 million tonnes in January-June this year. Import volumes increased for the USA (+11.8% to 2.511 million tonnes), Pakistan (+20.6% to 1.504 million tonnes), Mexico (+77.2% to 1.174 million tonnes) and Thailand (+5% to 1.086 million tonnes). However, declines were recorded by India (-49.1% to 2.330 million tonnes), Vietnam (-19% to 1.803 million tonnes) and Taiwan (-20% to 0.760 million tonnes).
EU-27 recycled steel exports up 4.5%
The EU-27 maintained its position as the world’s largest recycled steel exporter in the first half of 2026 following a year-on-year increase in its overseas shipments of 4.5% to 8.520 million tonnes. Main buyers were Turkey (-2.6% to 5.446 million tonnes), Egypt (+96% to 1.106 million tonnes), India (-11.8% to 0.427 million tonnes) and Pakistan (+41.2% to 0.355 million tonnes).
The USA remained the world’s second-largest recycled steel exporter in January-June this year, with shipments up 2.1% to 6.124 million tonnes. Its main customers were Turkey (-7.1% to 1.732 million tonnes), Mexico (+114.7% to 1.194 million tonnes), Thailand (+57% to 0.496 million tonnes) and Canada (+57.2% to 0.494 million tonnes).
The UK’s overseas shipments increased by 8% year on year to 3.374 million tonnes, with Turkey (-1.8% to 0.964 million tonnes), Egypt (+62.8% to 0.804 million tonnes), Morocco (+26.4% to 0.607 million tonnes) and Pakistan (-0.2% to 0.431 million tonnes) emerging as principal buyers.
Among other key exporters, Canada increased its outbound shipments by 31.7% to 2.513 million tonnes, driven mainly by exports to the USA (+22.6% to 1.867 million tonnes). An export increase was also registered by Australia (+18.5% to 1.317 million tonnes), with key buyers including Bangladesh (+10.4% to 0.455 million tonnes) and Vietnam (+41.2% to 0.251 million tonnes).
Singapore also registered a major increase in exports (+33.0% to 0.747 million tonnes), with its main customers being Bangladesh (+68.4% to 0.407 million tonnes) and Vietnam (+17.4% to 0.099 million tonnes).
Japan’s recycled steel exports declined by 7.4% to 3.535 million tonnes in this year’s January-June period when compared to the first half of 2025; its main buyers were Vietnam (-9.8% to 1.515 million tonnes), Bangladesh (+23.5% to 0.797 million tonnes), South Korea (-11.3% to 0.551 million tonnes) and Thailand (+147.4 % to 0.288 million tonnes). A major export decrease was also registered by Mexico (-21.6% to 0.55 million tonnes), which included shipments to the USA (-31.1% to 0.445 million tonnes) and Taiwan (-59.5% to 0.007 million tonnes). It is worthy of note that US and EU export prices followed similar paths during the first six months of 2026.
Additional focus on Africa
In the first half of 2026, Africa’s total crude steel production reached 12.6 million tonnes. Egypt was the continent’s largest producer on 5.7 million tonnes, marking a 13.6% year-on-year increase. During the same period, Egypt was also the leading African importer of recycled steel, with volumes surging by 98.6% to 2.1 million tonnes. On the export side, South Africa held the top position on 0.11 million tonnes, albeit a 33.5% decline from January-June 2025.
Source: Bureau of International Recycling (BIR)
