OPINION:
The U.S. must create supply chains that maximize recycled material use.
Recycled materials are at the core of an American manufacturing renaissance. Vast amounts of them are used in every industry across this nation and they strengthen U.S. supply chains, save money and preserve resources.
Many manufactured products contain valuable metals like gold, silver, palladium, copper, aluminum and, increasingly, rare earths. It is unrealistic for us to think that we can get all these materials from traditional mining.
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Unlike traditional mines, accessing recycled resources doesn’t require 17-year waits, invasive extraction or international supply chains fraught with delays and unpredictability.
Demand for critical minerals and metals has dramatically increased, with prices of many resources hitting record highs this year.
The recycled materials industry generated $183.6 billion in annual economic impact nationwide last year, according to the Recycled Materials Association’s (ReMA’s) 2025 Economic Impact Report. That investment strengthens economic resilience and offers a key resource for American manufacturing supply chains.
Because smelting and refining capacity to consume recycled materials produced by the U.S. recycling industry is constrained and, in many cases, concentrated outside the U.S., manufacturers sourcing recycled copper, tungsten, black mass or aluminum can face the same supply chain vulnerabilities as those relying on primary materials.
The key difference is that recycled materials are already available in abundance here in America.
There is a perception that recycled materials are simply a backup plan for when primary sources become scarce, but their role is far more significant. Recycled materials are already the foundation of American manufacturing, especially with heightened emphasis on mineral security.
About 70% of all U.S.-produced steel is made from recycled steel and over 90% of materials from lithium-ion batteries can be recovered and reused. A report by Mining and Materials Markets Ltd. commissioned by ReMA shows the U.S. could produce 45 times more end-of-life copper tonnage in 2026 than annual domestic consumption.
Supply chains built on vulnerability are costly. Those built on domestic, reliable, high-quality sources of essential materials are competitive.
If America wants to build competitiveness, we must invest in maximizing the resources we have in our country now. That means making a commitment to recycled materials.
President, Recycled Materials Association
Washington
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