Evaluación de las oportunidades de exportación de chatarra colombiana (metales ferrosos y no ferrosos)

Abstract

Problem: In the context of the global circular economy, the recovery and subsequent export of these recyclable materials is presented as alternative; however, the metallurgical recovery sector in Colombia faces deep structural challenges, such as high levels of informality in the first links of the value chain, a marked absence of technical standardization in material classification, and a generalized lack of knowledge of the rigorous environmental and industrial regulations required by developed countries, which drastically restricts the competitiveness of national exports in the global market. Objective: To evaluate the export opportunities for Colombian recyclable scrap materials (ferrous and non-ferrous metals). Method: The research is descriptive with a qualitative approach and is methodologically developed through a documentary study based on the analysis of secondary information sources, using commercial intelligence tools such as the international statistical database TradeMap to evaluate trade flows, as well as an in-depth review of the current national regulatory framework, paying special attention to the quantitative restrictions of Decree 1182 of 2025 and the procedural requirements demanded by the Single Window for Foreign Trade —VUCE— for obtaining export licenses. Results: It was determined that copper and aluminum are consolidated as the growth drivers of the sector, with exports to China exceeding 387 million dollars in 2024 due to their critical role in the manufacture of clean technologies, while iron and steel scrap, mainly directed to Turkey, faces administrative restrictions through export quotas designed to guarantee the supply security of the Colombian steel industry. Discussion: It is concluded that the successful and sustainable insertion of Colombia into global recycling value chains does not depend on tariff reductions, but on the urgent professionalization and technical upgrading of the Classification and Storage Stations —ECA— in the national territory, which is essential to achieve the rigorous technical purity standards and international environmental certifications required by Asian and European buyers, thus ensuring that Colombia moves from exporting raw waste to providing high-value secondary raw materials within the framework of global industrial decarbonization.