Circularity strategies for steel in the EU: Insights from consolidated material flows data

Steel plays a pivotal role in the EU’s transition toward a more circular industrial system due to its broad use and high recycling potential. Through the consolidation of existing data and a refined material flow analysis model, this study investigates opportunities to improve steel circularity in the EU by focusing on material quality as a key enabler of high-value recycling and functional reuse. The findings highlight the mismatch between the quality of end-of-life scrap and the requirements of high-grade applications. They underscore the importance of maintaining alloy quality throughout product lifecycles and advocate for strategic material management to move toward a closed-loop steel cycle and industrial resilience in the EU. Improvements in sorting, traceability, and product design are essential to unlock the full potential of steel scrap. However, this potential remains constrained by technical and systemic barriers related to scrap contamination, alloy dilution, and insufficient material characterization.​