Beyond ‘Scrap’: Why Britain Must Compete for the Aluminium It Already Has

This opinion piece by Nadine Bloxsome, CEO of the Aluminium Federation (ALFED), argues that the UK must stop viewing recovered aluminium simply as “scrap” and instead recognise it as a strategic secondary raw material that can support domestic manufacturing, economic resilience and decarbonisation. Drawing on recent trade data, Bloxsome highlights the sharp rise in UK aluminium exports to the United States, demonstrating how global demand can quickly attract valuable material away from domestic supply chains. Rather than restricting exports, she calls for greater investment in the UK’s sorting, processing, remelting and recycling infrastructure, alongside competitive energy costs, skills development and stronger market signals. The article contends that by strengthening its domestic aluminium ecosystem, the UK can retain more value, reduce reliance on imported primary aluminium, support high-quality jobs and capture greater economic and environmental benefits from the aluminium it already recovers.