We all worry about this, so. This is a good & current writeup about the impact of corona on the scap metal world. In particular, it sums up:
In the US, the situation varies from state to state. The most populous of these, California, has shut down all non-essential industries but scrap recycling is considered to be essential as it is an important link in the supply chain. However, business is very slow; it is possible to buy and to sell but exporting is very tough, with no availability of containers.
In Europe, Italy is closing down smelters as part of its bid to control the pandemic by shutting all non-essential companies. Owing to a shortage of workers in France, most small to medium-sized businesses are closed. Large enterprises are partially open, with only 40% of yards in operation. While there is no more retail business, they are being supplied by those production plants still in operation. However, there is a question over how long this will continue.
In the UK, following an announcement on the evening of March 23, people in the UK have been told not to leave their homes other than for essential reasons such as food shopping. Scrap has been included in the category of critical industries and large merchants saw a flurry of activity last week, mainly as a result of their smaller counterparts wanting to turn stock into money. Some merchants have closed their doors.
More is said in there about other regions.
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