A Business Carbon Assessment to understand the carbon impacts of the UK's metal recycling sector and to set reduction initiatives to reduce emissions.
British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) Case Study
The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) is the only dedicated trade body representing the UK’s metals recycling sector. The industry plays a vital role in the circular economy by using mechanical treatment processes to transform end-of-life products into high-quality secondary raw materials that can be reused in manufacturing.
BMRA's Challenges
While the environmental value of metals recycling is well understood, the industry lacked a comprehensive and independent picture of its emissions profile. BMRA faced several key challenges:
- Understanding the full carbon footprint of the UK metals recycling industry
- Gathering reliable emissions data across a diverse membership base
- Scaling findings from individual organisations to represent the entire sector
- Developing realistic and practical recommendations that businesses could implement to reduce emissions
Without a clear evidence base, it was difficult for companies across the sector to understand their environmental impact or identify meaningful steps toward net zero.
Our Approach
Tunley Environmental's Dr Nathan Wood conducted multiple comprehensive business carbon assessments of the UK metals recycling industry. The project began with collecting emissions data from a representative sample of BMRA member organisations. Each participating company received an individual emissions report, giving them detailed insight into their operational carbon footprint. Using this dataset alongside government statistics and other industry information, we extrapolated the findings to represent emissions across the entire UK metals recycling sector. The assessment covered the industry’s full value chain, including downstream activities such as smelting processes. This approach enabled the creation of a robust industry-wide emissions baseline and ensured the findings were representative of the sector as a whole.
Based on the results, we identified a series of practical emissions reduction initiatives, including:
- Transitioning to renewable electricity
- Electrifying machinery and lighter vehicles
- Using alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)
These recommendations formed the foundation of a roadmap that could support the industry’s transition toward net zero.
The Impact
The assessment provided BMRA and its members with a strong and credible evidence base for understanding emissions across the metals recycling industry. For the first time, businesses in the sector could clearly see their emissions profile and identify practical steps they could take to reduce their carbon footprint. The findings also provided valuable guidance for member organisations seeking to align with national climate targets.
The work has directly supported the development of BMRA’s “Recycling Today for a Greener Tomorrow” roadmap to net zero, helping the industry move forward with greater confidence and clarity, as stated by Cameron Leitch, Policy and Sustainability Manager at BMRA.
The Results
The analysis found that the UK metals recycling industry produces approximately 10.95 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions. Operational emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2), including fuel consumption and electricity use, represent only around 2% of the sector’s total emissions footprint, equating to roughly 0.07% of the UK’s total territorial emissions.
If the recommended reduction initiatives are implemented across the sector:
- Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions could fall by 93% by 2050
- Total emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3 could be reduced by around 70%
The project has given the industry a clear roadmap for emissions reduction and the tools needed to support its long-term transition toward its low-carbon goals.