Tin
Tin is relatively straightforward to recycle owing to its inherent properties and economic value
| Annual Recycled Share of Global Supply | 30-35% |
|---|---|
| End of Life Recycling Rate | 16% |
| Top Exporters of Scrap Material | United States, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Mexico, Belgium, Germany, |
| Top Importers of Scrap Material | Malaysia, Poland, United States, Spain, Germany, |
| Annual Share of Global Supply from E-Waste |
Tin can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality, making it a compelling option for circular economy initiatives and enhanced resource efficiency. Given tin’s versatility, it plays a critical role in a wide range of emerging technologies.
Tin recycling feedstocks
The Recycling Input Rate (RIR) for tin, which measures the proportion of recycled tin in global supply, was 33.4% in 2023. Depending the price of tin, its RIR generally fluctuated between 30–35% over the last decade. Other sources report even higher recent figures, with up to 40% of global tin supply sourced from recycling as of 2022. Estimates from the tin industry show that use of recycled tin as opposed to primary tin reduces the material’s carbon footprint by approximately 55%.
Tin can be recycled from both pre-consumer and post-consumer scrap feedstocks.
Pre-consumer scrap feedstock is the result of manufacturing processes and consisting of items like off-specification tinplate, trimmings from tinplate production, and rejects from cans-making or solder production. Pre-consumer scrap accounts for approximately 37% of the total recycling share as of 2024.
Tin is the primary component in most solders today due to its low melting point, making tin essential in electronics, plumbing, and metalwork where it connects without melting the base metal. Most solder scrap is likely recycled, though the methods used can vary and may involve unlicensed recyclers. Manufacturers with in-house capabilities for processing dross and scrap generally achieved higher recovery rates of tin waste. In contrast, converters that outsourced their waste to external recyclers often had limited insight into the end-use markets and recycling practices, raising concerns about potential emissions issues and improper handling of hazardous materials.
Post-consumer scrap, which includes tin recovered from end-of-life products, such as used tin cans, electronics solders, and other discarded consumer goods, accounts for approximately 16% of the recycling share. Recovery rates from post-consumer scrap are influenced by collection systems, societal awareness, and economic factors. While post-consumer scrap represents a large potential source – especially from electronics -technological and logistical challenges may limit its full exploitation.
Therefore, the largest share of recycled tin globally originates from pre-consumer scrap while post-consumer scrap currently contributes a smaller but growing share.