Analysis · November 2026
The value of non-ferrous scrap recycling to the Polish economy
A billion euros of value added, 17,000 jobs and 3.3 million tonnes of avoided emissions a year. The first full measurement of the contribution of companies that collect, process and remelt aluminium, copper, lead, zinc and tin scrap.
At a glance
1.03EUR bn
of gross value added in Poland – including the domestic supply chain
17,033jobs
in the industry and its Polish suppliers
274EUR m
a year for public finances (PLN 1.18 bn)
3.26Mt CO₂e
of emissions avoided in metal supply chains
63PJ
of primary energy saved a year (≈18 TWh)
38%
of Poland’s aluminium consumption is met from scrap – in a country without a primary smelter
Central values for 2024. The line under each figure shows the 90% uncertainty band (P5–P95) on a scale from zero.
Seven findings
A billion euros for the economy
The industry directly generates EUR 584 million of gross value added. Including domestic suppliers it is EUR 1.03 billion, and with employees’ spending EUR 1.16 billion. Each euro of value added in the industry supports a further EUR 0.76 in Polish supplier industries.
17,000 jobs
About 8,700 people work in collection, trade, scrap processing and secondary metallurgy; 17,033 including suppliers and 19,831 including induced effects. These are gross figures: activity linked to the industry and its supply chain.
PLN 1.18 billion a year for the budget
Labour taxes and social contributions, corporate income tax and production taxes linked to the industry and its supply chain amount to about EUR 274 million a year.
3.3 million tonnes of CO₂e less
Metal recovered from scrap collected in Poland replaces primary metal with a much higher carbon footprint. Aluminium accounts for 95% of this effect. Emissions are avoided mainly at primary smelters abroad – this does not reduce the national inventory. Notional value: EUR 211–538 million.
Less energy, less ore residue
Recycling saves about 63 PJ of primary energy a year and avoids about 0.62 Mt of bauxite residue (red mud). It generates about 0.33 Mt of salt slag and Waelz slag that must be treated.
A domestic source of strategic metals
Aluminium made from scrap meets 38% of Poland’s aluminium consumption, and secondary copper 45% of copper consumption. Aluminium and copper are EU strategic raw materials. In 2025, 11.1% of Poland’s unwrought aluminium imports came from Russia – a source that has ended under sanctions.
Room to grow
Higher collection and announced investments would add about EUR 85 million of value added and 1,067 jobs by 2030, and EUR 281 million and 4,168 jobs in the “Circular Poland 2035” scenario. Each additional tonne of aluminium collected replaces primary metal with a footprint about 9.2 t CO₂e higher.
From scrap to metal – and to benefits
The industry has three links: collection and trade, sorting and processing, and secondary metallurgy. Together they return metal worth EUR 2.27 billion a year to the economy.
Collection and trade
Scrap yards, purchasing, wholesale
- EUR m GVA
- 254
- people
- 4,295
Sorting and processing
Dismantling, shredding, sensor-based sorting
- EUR m GVA
- 119
- people
- 1,679
Secondary metallurgy
Remelting, refining and alloying
- EUR m GVA
- 211
- people
- 2,741
Secondary metal
Al · Cu · Pb · Zn · Sn
EUR 2.27 bnEconomy
Value added, jobs, taxes
Climate and resources
Avoided emissions, energy, ore residue
Strategy
Domestic supply, processing margin, CRMA targets
EUR 1.03 billion of value added and 17,000 jobs
The industry’s contribution does not stop at the plant gate. Purchases from Polish suppliers (indirect effect) and employees’ spending (induced effect) almost double the direct result.
- Direct
- Supply chain
- Employees’ spending
Gross value added, EUR m
Jobs
A gross contribution, not a net benefit: in a tight labour market part of the labour and capital would find other uses.
3.3 million tonnes of CO₂e less in supply chains
A tonne of aluminium from scrap carries about 0.9 t CO₂e, against about 10.1 t for primary aluminium consumed in the EU. That is why aluminium accounts for 95% of avoided emissions.
kt CO₂e a year
How to read this result
- 1:1 substitution is an upper estimate – secondary foundry alloys replace primary metal mainly in castings.
- Emissions are avoided mainly at primary smelters abroad; the result does not reduce the national inventory and must not be added to other countries’ figures.
- Counting only end-of-life scrap (without new scrap) would give about 2.0 Mt CO₂e.
Zinc: the result is negative because processing steel-mill dust in Waelz kilns emits more than average primary production. Its value lies in recovering metal from hazardous dust that would otherwise have to be landfilled.
A domestic urban mine of strategic metals
Poland has had no primary aluminium smelter since 2009. Secondary smelters turn domestic and imported scrap into metal worth EUR 2.27 billion a year.
secondary output relative to apparent consumption, 2024
Where the industry operates
Collection and trade operate across the country. Secondary metallurgy forms three clusters: Upper Silesia with western Małopolska, the Legnica-Głogów Copper District, and the aluminium plants in Nowa Sól, Konin and Gorzyce.
- Aluminium
- Copper
- Lead
- Zinc
- Tin
List of installations
- Hydro Aluminium Kęty (ex-Alumetal)Kęty · AluminiumScrap remelting to secondary foundry alloysCapacity: 87.5 kt/yr
- Hydro Aluminium Gorzyce (ex-Alumetal)Gorzyce · AluminiumScrap remelting to foundry and master alloysCapacity: 57.5 kt/yr
- Hydro Aluminium Nowa Sól (ex-Alumetal)Nowa Sól · AluminiumScrap sorting (LIBS) and remeltingCapacity: 60 kt/yr alloys; 120 kt/yr sorting
- Grupa Kęty – foundryKęty · AluminiumRemelting scrap into extrusion billetsCapacity: >30 kt scrap/yr
- Gränges KoninKonin · AluminiumRecycling & casting centre and rolling millCapacity: 100-140 kt/yr rolled
- KGHM – Huta Miedzi LegnicaLegnica · CopperCopper smelting & refining with scrap; CRMA strategic recycling-smelter projectCapacity: ~135 kt Cu/yr target (~2030)
- KGHM – Huta Miedzi Głogów I & IIŻukowice · CopperSmelting & electrorefining (primary + purchased materials)Capacity: ~470 kt/yr cathode
- Walcownia Metali Dziedzice (Boryszew)Czechowice-Dziedzice · CopperMelting incl. scrap to copper and brass semisCapacity: n/a
- Baterpol – battery processingŚwiętochłowice · LeadBreaking and processing of lead-acid batteriesCapacity: 70 kt/yr battery scrap
- Baterpol – lead plantKatowice-Szopienice · LeadLead smelting and refiningCapacity: incl. above
- Orzeł BiałyPiekary Śląskie · LeadBattery-scrap recycling to refined lead and alloysCapacity: ~100 kt/yr battery scrap
- HC Miasteczko Śląskie (Stalprodukt group)Miasteczko Śląskie · ZincISP zinc-lead smelter running on 100% secondary oxides (2024)Capacity: 14.8 kt refined Pb (2024)
- ZGH Bolesław (Stalprodukt group)Bukowno · ZincElectrolytic zinc (~40% secondary feed in 2024) and Waelz kilns processing steel-plant dustCapacity: 130 kt/yr Zn & alloys; group Zn 153.8 kt (2024)
- Fenix MetalsChmielów · TinSecondary tin refiningCapacity: share of 4.76 kt (PL 2024)
Data
| Materials recovery (NACE 38) | Basic metals (NACE 24) | |
|---|---|---|
| Śląskie | 11,042 | 22,839 |
| Wielkopolskie | 8,394 | 5,242 |
| Warszawski stołeczny | 7,163 | 2,326 |
| Dolnośląskie | 7,072 | 6,005 |
| Małopolskie | 6,982 | 9,583 |
| Kujawsko-pomorskie | 5,060 | 2,030 |
| Pomorskie | 4,817 | 820 |
| Mazowiecki regionalny | 4,401 | 1,238 |
| Łódzkie | 4,066 | 2,201 |
| Zachodniopomorskie | 3,510 | 653 |
| Lubelskie | 3,458 | 892 |
| Warmińsko-mazurskie | 3,298 | 347 |
| Podkarpackie | 3,104 | 5,345 |
| Świętokrzyskie | 2,349 | 3,404 |
| Lubuskie | 2,053 | 1,981 |
| Podlaskie | 2,053 | 595 |
| Opolskie | 1,532 | 2,001 |
Scrap moves across the EU single market
In 2025 Poland exported 470 kt of non-ferrous scrap and imported 441 kt. About 90% of exports and 94% of imports stay within the EU, and Germany is by far the largest partner.
Largest partners, 2025 · 470 kt
- DE233.1
- SK34.6
- IT25.5
- AT24.2
- CZ21.6
- FR20.9
- SI12.4
- NL9.0
Largest partners, 2025 · 441 kt
- DE195.3
- NL43.2
- CZ28.3
- LT18.8
- IT18.2
- FR16.1
- AT12.9
- SK11.5
Aluminium and copper, 2015–2025 · kt
What can be gained by 2030 and 2035
Four scenarios run through the same model at constant 2024 prices. Capacity and investment drive the economic results; collection and sorting drive the climate results.
Value added incl. supply chain · EUR m
Jobs incl. supply chain · people
Avoided emissions – collection basis · kt CO₂e
What would strengthen this contribution
The report sets out seven directions for public action.
- Include secondary aluminium and copper capacity in Poland’s CRMA implementation and the update of the State Raw Materials Policy.
- Give secondary smelters effective access to indirect emission cost compensation and long-term renewable power contracts.
- Speed up permits for remelting, refining and sorting installations – national deadlines and a single point of contact.
- Co-finance sensor-based sorting (LIBS, XRF, X-ray transmission) and scrap quality standards.
- Reward recycled content in public procurement, ELV and construction product criteria, and in CBAM.
- Improve collection of WEEE, end-of-life vehicles, cables and waste batteries.
- Develop vocational training in metallurgy, sorting and quality control in the Silesian, Lower Silesian and Lubusz clusters.
Method in brief
NF-REC-PL is a modular, reproducible model that combines Polish and EU public statistics with the physics of metal recycling processes.
Scope and allocation
Non-ferrous share of NACE 46.77, 38.3 and 24.42–24.45 (Eurostat SBS 2024).
Mass balance
Scrap collected, remelted, exported and imported for each metal (Comext, PRODCOM).
Economy
Leontief input–output model, Type I and II, on the FIGARO 2023 table for Poland.
Environment
Avoided-burden method: cradle-to-gate footprint of the primary and secondary routes.
Strategy
Value of secondary metal, processing margin, ratio to consumption, import concentration.
Uncertainty
Monte Carlo 10,000 draws, 56 parameters, Gaussian copula; sensitivity analysis and scenarios.
Limitations
- Results are a gross, static contribution, without displacement or price effects.
- Non-ferrous shares in multi-material companies are not observed – the main source of uncertainty in the economic results.
- Emission factors come from different years and methods; the zinc result is conditional.
The report was prepared with the help of artificial intelligence tools for data processing, modelling and text editing.
Download and cite
The full report contains the methodology, all parameters with ranges and sources, the list of installations and the bibliography.
IGMNiR (2026), The value of non-ferrous scrap recycling to the Polish economy. NF-REC-PL integrated impact model, Economic Chamber of Non-Ferrous Metals and Recycling, November 2026.
Model run identifier: NFRECPL-1.3-153C411685