Commerce Department Rejects Copper Scrap Restrictions

The U.S. Commerce Department today rejected calls to impose export controls on copper scrap. In a statement following the ruling, Robin Wiener, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, noted, “We are very pleased and excited that the Commerce Department has decided against export controls on copper scrap.”

 “Commerce clearly looked at the facts and came to the right conclusion,” Wiener said.  “Export controls are bad policy, bad for the economy, and are counter to overall U.S. trade policy.  We are glad that the Commerce Department agrees and we applaud their decision.

“There is simply no shortage of available copper scrap.  Copper is a global commodity that contributes in excess of $700 million annually to the U.S. balance of trade.  Restricting exports of copper scrap would have eliminated the market for a large portion of copper scrap that is not, and likely cannot be, used domestically.

“We should not fight alleged unfair trade practices abroad with our own unfair trade practice here at home,” she continued.  “Imposing export controls would have been just that.

“We will also continue to call on the Commerce Department, the State Department, and the U.S. Trade Representative to work toward the removal of export controls in place in other countries,” she said.  “Free and fair trade benefits us all.”

On April 7, the Copper and Brass Fabricators Council and the Non-Ferrous Founders’ Society and members of these organizations filed a petition for the imposition of monitoring and controls with respect to exports from the United States of copper scrap and copper-alloy scrap.  The Commerce Department received public comment and held a hearing on the petition on May 19.  The law required that the Commerce Department make its decision by July 22.