Environmental organisations, think tanks and recycling industry call for measures to boost the use of recycled steel in the automotive sector
Sandbag co-signed a joint statement alongside leading environmental NGOs, think tanks, and recycling industry groups urging the EU to introduce binding targets for recycled steel scrap content in vehicles under the proposed Regulation on Circularity Requirements for Vehicle Design and on Management of End-of-Life Vehicles.
The statement highlights the underuse of recycled steel scrap in car manufacturing, despite its significant climate and resource benefits. Steel makes up 16% to 30% of cars’ embedded emissions from the production phase, yet only 6% of steel from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) is reused for production of new vehicles. Clear targets would ensure that this regulation delivers on its potential to reduce industrial emissions and increases the circularity of the automotive sector.
The signatories call for minimum targets of 30% recycled content by 2030, rising to 40% by 2035, with a focus on steel sourced from ELVs and post-consumer scrap processed in Europe. These measures would reduce emissions, reduce reliance on raw materials like coking coal and iron ore, and keep valuable secondary materials within the EU economy.
Photo by nashvilledino2 from Canva
May 2025
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July 14th 2025
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