Aluminum Scrap Markets
March 31, 2026
Written by Nicholas Bell
Market participants described a market where activity is being shaped as much by pricing and positioning as by underlying demand.
“Higher ingot prices are pushing customers to buy forward,” one respondent said, pointing to purchasing patterns that may be distorting real demand.
US aluminum scrap imports increased faster than exports through August, while similar tonnage gains kept net exports near year earlier levels.
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) has filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, challenging the district court’s decision to uphold Oregon’s version of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws that are popping up across the country.
Rio Tinto will exclusively market billet from RevoCast’s new British Columbia plant under a long-term agreement combining primary and recycled aluminum.
Recycler forward expectations swung toward oversupply in September as inventory drawdowns eased and export demand lost August’s improving responses.
Aluminum sheet lead times rose in September even as more respondents became more comfortable with overall supply.
