Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) President Robin K. Wiener released the following statement, following the issuance of executive orders by President Trump that impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on imports from China:
“The U.S. recycled materials industry is a net exporter and supports 500,000 jobs nationwide, with the exports of recyclables helping to reduce the U.S. trade deficit. U.S. recyclers benefit greatly from the North American market access that the USMCA provides, access that these tariffs will put at risk.
“Each year, more than $8 billion in recycled materials cross the U.S.-Canada border, while nearly $3.3 billion of recycled products cross the U.S.-Mexico border. These new tariffs, and any retaliatory measures they may provoke, will only reduce the competitiveness of our industry and the manufacturers that rely on recycled materials.
ReMA confirmed that the reinstated Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports do not apply to ferrous and aluminum scrap, allowing free trade across U.S. borders.
Adam Shaffer, ReMA’s assistant vice president of international trade and global affairs, said that scrap had been excluded since the tariffs began in 2017-2018 and remains unaffected.