The metal recycling market in France

According to FEDERREC, recyclers collected 11.23 million tonnes of steel scrap in France in 2024, up 0.84%. Production offcuts remain the main source (2.4 million tonnes, 21.4% of the total), ahead of retail purchases (2.35 million tonnes), industrial demolition (873,400 tonnes, down 20%) and end-of-life vehicles (about 825,000 tonnes). For non-ferrous metals, retail purchases contribute 655,000 tonnes.

Yes, massively. According to Eurostat, France exported about 5.79 million tonnes of iron and steel scrap in 2025 for €2.00 billion, against €2.38 billion in 2024. Exported copper scrap reaches €1.60 billion and aluminium scrap €862 million. In total, metal recycling in France generates €4.47 billion of exports against €1.33 billion of imports across these three families (calculation based on Eurostat, Comext).

Derichebourg dominates metal recycling in France, with about one third of the ferrous metals market according to Les Echos (March 2025). The group operates 276 sites in Europe, 208 of them in France, and has announced the acquisition of Germany’s Scholz Recycling, according to Investir (May 2026). Non-ferrous metals account for 55% of its turnover, according to Trends (June 2026). Specialists such as Sovamep, in Muret, process 35,000 tonnes of metal a year.

Recycled metal prices in France follow world markets. In March 2025, recycled steel sold for between €350 and €400 a tonne and copper for around €9,000, according to Les Echos. In June 2026, copper reaches $14,500 a tonne, up 25% since 20 March, according to Trends. The average value of exported scrap fell from €382 a tonne in 2024 to €346 in 2025 (calculation based on Eurostat).

According to FEDERREC, the European Steel and Metals Action Plan considers restricting exports of recycled steel outside the European Union, a measure the industry considers counter-productive. The Critical Raw Materials Act aims for recycled materials to cover 25% of European demand. In France, only 30% of crude steel is produced from recycled steel, against about 45% in Europe.

A PDF report in French, 2026 edition, organised in six chapters: metal recycling and its scope, market size and dynamics, sources of scrap and demand, supply and recyclers, regulation and constraints, and the industry’s outlook.

FEDERREC figures, Eurostat foreign trade statistics, European legislation and trade press articles from the IndexPresse database. Every figure comes with its source and period.

Yes. The study is updated before it is sent, within 48 hours at most: it includes the latest published data, and every figure comes with its source and period.

Recyclers and scrap dealers, steelmakers, foundries and refiners, industrial producers of offcuts, local authorities, as well as investors, bankers and consultants who need to understand the metal recycling market in France.

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