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.
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:
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Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions could fall by 93% by 2050
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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.
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