Dubai’s four-month scrap metal recycling export ban targets iron, copper, aluminium

UAE – Dubai Customs has imposed a four-month export ban on selected iron, copper and aluminium scrap categories, effective July through October, with local smelters reportedly influencing the decision to retain valuable raw materials for domestic recycling and processing amid the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The restriction, formalised under Customs Notice No. 13/2026, applies to specific Harmonized System codes including iron (72041000, 72042100, 72042900, 72043000, 72044100, 72044900), copper (74040000) and aluminium (76020000). 

The measure will automatically renew unless officially cancelled, and violations will attract penalties under the Unified Customs Law. 

Mir Mujtaba, president of the Bureau of Middle East Recycling, stated that the ban comes at a difficult time for scrap metal recyclers and traders, just as exports were picking up again following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and that it appears local smelters pressured authorities to keep recycling materials for themselves.

Exemptions Available for Pre-Ban Contracts and Public Interest Shipments

The notice provides for possible exemptions subject to approval by the Ministry of Foreign Trade. 

These may apply to shipments prepared for export under valid international contracts concluded before the ban was issued, as well as shipments considered eligible for exemption in the public interest. 

Companies seeking an exemption must submit a request through the Ministry’s trade information platform. 

Exemptions could potentially apply to shipments already contracted prior to the notice, though analysts note that the policy’s effectiveness may be diluted through potential rerouting via other UAE ports such as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or Fujairah.

Regional Scrap Metal Recycling Market Faces Disruption as UAE Pursues Domestic Processing Strategy

The export prohibition comes as the UAE intensifies efforts to build domestic metal recycling and processing capacity. 

Emirates Global Aluminium is ramping up its new 185,000 metric tonne per year recycling plant, while Emirates Steel benefits from retained ferrous scrap feedstock. 

The country’s strategic shift follows a broader global trend, with EU aluminium scrap exports reaching a record 1.3 million metric tonnes in 2025 and the European Commission also considering export restrictions to protect domestic recycling industries. 

For Dubai’s recycling and trading sector, the ban restricts access to key overseas markets including India and South Korea, which are major consumers of UAE scrap metal, while supporting the government’s industrialisation and circular economy objectives for the recycling industry.

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