No export controls for US copper scrap

US recyclers are claiming success in persuading President Donald Trump that copper scrap should not face export restrictions.

The response from the national recycling organisation ReMA followed an announcement from the White House of wider ‘Section 232’ tariffs, which excluded copper scrap imports.

Semi-finished copper products, such as pipes, sheets and tubes, and copper-intensive derivative products, such as pipe fittings, cables and electrical components, have incurred an import tariff of 50% since 1 August.

However, US imports of ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes and anodes, as well as copper scrap, will not be subject to the duty or reciprocal tariffs.

Domestic review

Domestic sales of copper scrap will come under scrutiny because the president also directed the Secretary of Commerce to consider ‘domestic sales mandates’ for high-quality copper scrap to supply any shortfall in national defence needs.

In terms of exports, the president ignored a recommendation from the Secretary of Commerce for an export licensing system for high-quality copper scrap.

ReMA thanked the administration for recognising that data and facts provided by the scrap industry did not support export restrictions.

Scrap definition

‘ReMA provided extensive data to the White House and the Department of Commerce demonstrating that the domestic copper recycling industry is strong and robust, and that export restrictions were not warranted given the current strength of the domestic industry,’ it told its members in a briefing.

The briefing also noted that White House did not define ‘high-quality scrap’. ‘ReMA will work with the Commerce Department to clarify the meaning of this term for purposes of any domestic sales requirements, should they be put in place.’