If you buy scrap metal outside Australia, you may be competing with, or learning from, a very large export trade. Australia sent about 3.05 million tonnes of metal scrap to 43 countries in 2025-26, according to government trade records (provisional figures). This guide is a short map for overseas buyers: how much moves, which metals go where, which ports ship it, what the export rules say, and how to start sourcing. It leans on detailed analysis we published on our Australian site, ScrapTrade Australia, and links to it wherever you want the full tables. We have a commercial interest in the scrap trade, and we say where our data stops.
How much Australian scrap moves, and what it is
In 2025-26 Australia's declared metal scrap exports were 3,045,991 tonnes, with a customs value of about A$4.58 billion. Most of it is ferrous. These three groups make up almost all of the tonnage:
| Metal group | Tonnes, 2025-26 | Share of metal scrap | Average customs value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrous (steel, cast iron, stainless, tinned) | 2,547,805 | 83.6% | about A$600 per tonne |
| Aluminium | 377,501 | 12.4% | about A$3,790 per tonne |
| Copper and copper alloys | 113,411 | 3.7% | about A$10,806 per tonne |
The value column is the declared customs value of mixed shipments. It is not a price list, and it should not be used to quote a deal. For a conversion of world benchmark prices into local currency, see How to Convert Metal Prices to Your Currency per kg.
Who buys which metal
Destinations differ a lot by metal, so the mix matters more than the headline.
| Metal group | Top destinations, share of tonnes, 2025-26 |
|---|---|
| Ferrous | Bangladesh 31.6%, Indonesia 19.9%, Vietnam 15.9%, India 11.4%, Thailand 7.8% |
| Aluminium | India 30.4%, South Korea 21.8%, China 20.7%, Thailand 9.0% |
| Copper | China 34.4%, Thailand 25.5%, India 15.2%, South Korea 7.0%, Pakistan 6.1% |
Two points follow. Ferrous scrap goes mainly to South and South-East Asian countries. Copper and aluminium go to a smaller set of countries, with China, Thailand, India and South Korea prominent. The data does not say who the end users are. We explain the three biggest ferrous buyers in Bangladesh vs Indonesia vs Vietnam: Australian Scrap Buyers.
The map has moved
Destinations are not fixed. Comparing 2018-19 with 2025-26 for all metal scrap:
- Bangladesh rose from 11.3% to 26.6% of tonnes and is now the largest destination.
- Vietnam fell from 24.6% to 13.5%.
- India was broadly steady, 14.8% then 13.9%.
- The number of destination countries fell from 60 to 43.
- Total tonnes rose from about 2.65 million to 3.05 million.
If you buy in one of these markets, this shows how a supply route can shift in a few years. The longer story is in Australian Scrap Exports: Seven Years of Change.
Where it ships from
Four ports handled about three quarters of the tonnage in 2025-26: Brisbane 24.6%, Melbourne 20.3%, Fremantle 17.4% and Sydney 13.6%. Port Adelaide had 5.4%. If you plan inspection or a container booking, this tells you where the cargo tends to start. Our port-by-port breakdown, with the metals each one ships, is in Australian Scrap Export Ports: Who Ships What, and the month-by-month pattern is in Australia's Scrap Exports by Month.
What the export rules say
Our reading of the regulator's pages, which we cover in Australia's Waste Export Rules and Scrap Metal, is this:
- Ordinary metal scrap is not one of the four wastes covered by Australia's waste export licence rules.
- Some items that turn up in scrap, such as used lead acid batteries and e-waste, fall under a separate hazardous waste permit system. For used lead acid batteries the government says a permit is granted only in very limited circumstances.
- Where a load sits between the two, the classification decides, not the description on the invoice.
That is general information, not legal advice, and your own country's import rules are a separate question. We could not verify import requirements for any destination country, so confirm them with your customs authority before you contract.
How an overseas buyer can start
- Decide the grade, volume and delivery window. Use the grade names suppliers use. Our scrap metal types and grades guide is a starting point.
- Check your own import rules with your customs authority.
- Agree the trade terms. The delivery terms decide who pays freight and insurance and who carries risk. See Incoterms in Scrap Deals.
- Plan the payment. Methods differ in how much risk each side takes. See Getting Paid in International Scrap Deals.
- Verify before you pay. Inspection, photos and documents matter. See How to Verify Scrap Before You Buy or Sell.
- Contact suppliers or post what you need. On ScrapTrade you can browse listings and post a request, and suppliers respond.
Where ScrapTrade fits
ScrapTrade is a marketplace where sellers list scrap, buyers compare offers and negotiate, and buyers can post what they need. Its Trust & Safety page says payment is held in escrow from the moment a deal is confirmed until pickup or delivery is confirmed. scrap.trade describes itself as a global marketplace with listings and traders from many countries. We cannot confirm availability in every country, or that your country's law allows a given deal, so check your own rules first. Create a free account to see what is listed before you decide to trade. For Australian detail and Australian sellers, use ScrapTrade Australia.
What we could not verify
- Unit prices for any destination. Customs values are declared values of mixed shipments, not prices.
- Final use. The destination is the declared destination at export, not where the metal is finally consumed.
- Import rules in any buyer country.
- Whether the 2025-26 figures will change. They are provisional.
Step-by-step guides
Practical how-to guides on ScrapTrade:
You can also go to the ScrapTrade home page, the marketplace or the live prices and calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much scrap metal does Australia export?
In 2025-26 about 3.05 million tonnes of metal scrap, worth about A$4.58 billion at customs value, to 43 countries. The figures are provisional.
Which countries buy the most Australian scrap?
For all metal scrap in 2025-26: Bangladesh 26.6%, Indonesia 17.2%, India 13.9%, Vietnam 13.5% and Thailand 8.6%, by tonnes.
Is a permit needed to export metal scrap from Australia?
Ordinary metal scrap is not one of the four wastes under the export licence rules, but batteries, e-waste and mixed loads can need a hazardous waste permit. See our rules article above, and confirm with the regulator.
Which ports ship the most?
Brisbane, Melbourne, Fremantle and Sydney, together about three quarters of the tonnage.
Sources
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Waste exports data collation, September 2026 (ABS records), ScrapTrade calculations. The 2025-26 figures are provisional.
- National EPA, Waste exports.
- DCCEEW, Hazardous waste. The used lead acid battery page is summarised in our rules article.
Figures are as reported by the sources named. Export values are border declarations for mixed shipments, not market prices. This is general information, not trading, shipping or legal advice. ScrapTrade operates a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.