SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: December 29, 2025-January 2, 2026

January 04, 2026

Gold Prices Suffer Their Biggest-Ever Weekly Decline

Gold futures declined Friday, adding to the sharpest weekly drop on record in dollar terms for the precious metal. Front-month futures shed $220.40 a troy ounce this week to end at $4,314.40. That breaks a three-week winning streak and shows how much of a high-stakes gambit precious-metals trading has become lately at such lofty prices—especially for the individual investors who have piled in. It was only two years ago that gold prices would have had to tumble more than 10% to amount to a $220 weekly loss. This week’s drop was 4.9%, the worst since June 2021 in percentage terms. Wall Street forecasters are generally mixed as to what’s ahead for gold. Bulls argue that central banks moving away from dollar-based assets are likely to continue to hoard gold and won’t be particularly concerned what price they’re paying, and that investors will move more money into gold as interest rates decline. Bears see gold prices declining, as concerns about inflation and tariffs subside and lower interest rates drive gains in the economy and stocks. They also expect high prices to encourage selling from vaults and jewelry boxes as well as miners, lifting supply. (Source: WSJ)

Aluminum Hits $3,000 for First Time Since 2022 on Supply Concern

Aluminum climbed above $3,000 a ton for the first time in more than three years on a tightening supply outlook and long-term demand bets, joining other base metals notching recent milestones. A cap on Chinese smelting capacity and constraints to European production due to higher electricity prices have chipped away at global inventories, while the demand outlook from the construction and renewable sectors remains robust. Futures rallied 17% last year, the most since 2021. (Source: Bloomberg News)

Copper Holds Surge Near Record High

Copper futures in the US were near $5.7 per pound after gaining 41% last year, not far from the record-high of $5.8 tested through late December as traders resumed drawing metal to the US ahead of growing supply risks. Copper output has been pressured by halted operations in Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg mine in Indonesia, responsible for 3% of global supply, following a fatal incident. This magnified risks to supply from Chile and Peru due to workers’ protests against the extractors. The uncertainty coincided with fresh threats of tariffs on copper commodity forms by US President Trump, which were initially left out of levies this year, and drove copper to flow into US warehouses from major trading hubs in London and Shanghai. Meanwhile, demand remained supported by its broad usage in electrification technologies that have been pledged by governments in their pivot away from fossil fuels. Growth in data center and AI infrastructure capital expenditure is also set to underpin copper buying. (Source: Trading Economics)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: December 29, 2025-January 2, 2026

Scrap Management Industries Accelerates Growth with Acquisition of Allmetal Recycling in Kansas

Scrap Management Industries, Inc. (SMI), one of the Midwest’s leading ferrous and nonferrous metal recycling companies, announced it has acquired Allmetal Recycling, a scrap metal recycling company based in Kansas. The acquisition expands SMI’s presence across the region by adding Allmetal’s network of 10 locations in Kansas, including three yards in Wichita and additional facilities in Salina, Newton, Harper, McPherson, Great Bend, Kingman and Pratt. With this significant combination, SMI will operate 5 Automobile Shredders – including two Mega Shredders – across 19 yards in three primary regions across Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma with services spanning the surrounding states and communities. According to the report, Allmetal will continue to operate under its own name as part of the SMI family of companies. Allmetal customers and community partners will get the same great experience they have come to know while gaining access to the broader resources, relationships and operational support of SMI. (Source: PR Newswire)

Toyoda Gosei Launches Automotive Parts with High Recycled Rubber Content

Toyoda Gosei has commercialized automotive weatherstrips incorporating 20% recycled rubber material, up from less than 5% previously, with the parts set to debut on the new Toyota RAV4 before wider application across the supplier’s product range. The increased recycled content was achieved through improvements to Toyoda Gosei’s proprietary devulcanization technology, which has been recognized with a Toyota Motor Project Award. Toyoda Gosei said it aims to expand the technology beyond synthetic rubber to natural rubber, which is used in larger volumes, and to collaborate with automakers to establish collection and regeneration systems for rubber from end-of-life vehicles. The company’s Morimachi Plant holds ISCC Plus certification for sustainable products. (Source: Toyoda Gosei)

LJP Waste Solutions Expands Recycling Offerings with Amazon Paint

LJP Waste Solutions, an environmental services, zero-landfill and alternative fuel solutions company, announced the acquisition of Amazon Paint. With the acquisition, LJP is expanding its zero-landfill business. Headquartered in Fridley, MN, Amazon Paint recycles latex paint collected by third parties from government agencies, businesses and consumers. The primary source of the recycled paint is household waste drop-off facilities operated by municipalities and counties and unused paint from PaintCare collection locations, providing a more sustainable and less expensive alternative to landfilling or incineration. (Source: LJP Waste Solutions)

Circulose and Birla Cellulose Announce Partnership Agreement to Advance Circular Textiles

Birla Cellulose and Circulose have announced a cooperation agreement aimed at advancing circular textiles and scaling textile recycling initiatives. Under the agreement, Circulose will supply pulp produced from 100% textile waste to Birla Cellulose, which will convert the material into textile fibre products for use across the value chain. The collaboration is designed to strengthen supply chain resilience and ensure a dependable supply of recycled fibres, supporting the growing demand for more sustainable textile solutions. (Source: Circulose)

Vale Indonesia Halts Mining Activities on Delayed Approval for 2026 Output Plan

Nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia Tbk said on Friday it was suspending mining activities in Southeast Asia’s largest economy due to delays in the approval of its annual production plan. All miners in resource-rich Indonesia are required to submit an annual production plan, known as RKAB, for official approval with the government setting output quotas for the industry. Expectations of a lower output quota in Indonesia, the world’s top nickel producer, sent prices soaring towards the end of last year. Vale said it could not carry out mining operations without the RKAB approval. (Source: Reuters)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: December 29, 2025-January 2, 2026

The Government Has Set Zero Quotas for Scrap Exports from Ukraine for 2026

On December 31, the government set zero export quotas for 2026 on the export of ferrous metal scrap (code 7204) and copper scrap (code 7404 00) from Ukraine. This was announced by Dmytro Kysilevsky, deputy chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development. According to the parliamentarian, it is profitable for the state to keep all scrap metal within the country. One ton of scrap metal processed in Ukraine into finished products generates approximately UAH 15,000 in taxes. One ton of exported scrap metal without customs duties does not actually generate taxes (within UAH 100 per ton), since scrap metal collection remains largely a shadow business. From 2026, the EU will introduce the so-called CBAM carbon duty. From the point of view of Ukraine’s accession to the EU and compliance with environmental requirements for industry, it is important to keep all scrap metal within the country, as scrap metal is a scarce raw material for smelting steel with lower CO2 emissions. The MP stressed that one of the tasks of the Verkhovna Rada for 2026 is to enshrine the decision to restrict the export of strategic raw materials in law. The restrictions should remain in place as long as external circumstances and recovery needs require. (Source: GMK Center)

China Lowers Import Duties for 935 Products in 2026, Including Recycled Battery Powder and Medical Supplies

China announced tariff ‌adjustments for some products beginning January 1st 2026, including lowering the ‍import duties on resource-based commodities such as recycled black powder for lithium-ion batteries. The country will also lower levies on medical products including artificial blood ‍vessels ‍and diagnostic kits for certain infectious disease, according to a statement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council. For 935 products, ‌the provisional import tariff rates levied on them will ‍be lower than the ‌most-favoured-nation ‍rates applied to all ‍World Trade Organization member ‍states, it added. (Source: Reuters)

Egypt: Customs Extends Export Duty on Stainless Steel Scrap for One Year

The Egyptian Customs Authority, headed by Ahmed Amoui, has issued Tariff Circular No. 67 of 2025 regarding the implementation of the decision of the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade No. 530 of 2025, which provides for the continuation of the export duty imposed on scrap and waste of stainless steel alloys, classified under customs tariff heading (7204.21). Under the decision, an export duty of EGP 9,000 per ton will continue to be levied for a period of one year, starting from the expiry date of the previous decision. The measure aims to regulate exports of this strategic product and support the needs of the domestic market. The decision clarified that the export duty applies to shipments exported abroad, while excluding consignments destined for free zones within the Arab Republic of Egypt, provided that the competent authorities ensure implementation in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures. The tariff circular also noted that the decision is based on the laws and regulations governing exports, without prejudice to the rights of the relevant supervisory authorities, and stressed the need to notify all customs outlets and export centers to comply with its provisions. (Source: AISU)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: December 29, 2025-January 2, 2026