European Metal Recycling sustainability score: 34/100
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
European Metal Recycling (EMR) is a privately held metal and materials recycler headquartered in Warrington, UK, operating sites in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and the United States. It buys about 8.4 million tonnes of scrap a year and sells about 7.8 million tonnes of recycled material.
More about European Metal Recycling
EMR is part of Ausurus Group Ltd.
Founded 2014Head office Warrington, United KingdomStaff ~4,016Revenue £4,272M (FY2025, group)Website ↗
EMR's operational emissions have been flat since 2024 and it buys no renewable electricity, five years after joining RE100. Repeated fires at its Camden, New Jersey site led to a state lawsuit and a 2026 order to stop operating, and the Environment Agency fined it £400,000 in 2021 for illegally dumping shredder waste.
European Metal Recycling scores 34/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Nobody can pay to change a score, speed it up or hide it. Last verified October 2026.
That places European Metal Recycling joint 598th of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 4th of 5 in Waste & Recycling.
What is European Metal Recycling doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Targets & Commitments (6/10, 6/10). Weakest on Energy Source and Nature & Biodiversity Impact (3/10, 3/10).
Where European Metal Recycling lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
What would raise this score
- How clean its energy isMove to a renewable energy tariff or make a major efficiency investment.
- Its effect on natureAssess its effect on nature and publish a basic environmental policy.
- Its effect on waterMonitor its water use and take measures to reduce it.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations6/10Its own emissions aren't independently verified or tracked over several years.
- Emissions from its supply chain5/10Most of its supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions aren't measured.
- Whether its emissions are falling5/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is3/10No renewable energy tariff or major efficiency investment shown.
- Its effect on nature3/10No assessment of its effect on nature, and no basic environmental policy.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water3/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets6/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports5/10No dedicated sustainability role, board oversight or public report.
- Its record on controversies3/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is European Metal Recycling's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is European Metal Recycling's score based on?
14 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
14% of them were published by European Metal Recycling itself; the rest come from independent sources.
12 of 14 sources are independent of the company.
“Non Financial and Sustainability Information Statement disclosures”
“Like many other companies, EMR acknowledges that tackling Scope 3 carbon emissions will be more challenging.”
“EMR has committed to 100% renewable electricity across its sites worldwide.”
“spillage entering surface water drains, watercourses or contaminating unmade ground”
“Recycling is increasingly replacing the environmentally harmful mining and processing of iron ore for steel production”
“European Metal Recycling Ltd (EMR) has been fined £400,000 for illegally disposing of waste at Stowey Quarry, Somerset”
“covering a wider range of materials”
“alleges that at least 12 hazardous fires took place at the facility in the last five years”
“The four-alarm inferno burned for 12 hours before being fully extinguished, sent smoke and pollution 15 miles away”
“New Jersey officials have filed suit against the large scrap metal recycler EMR over a string of hazardous”
“Camden County detected hazardous levels of fine particulate matter just south of homes in Waterfront South”
“The city of Camden issued a cease operations order Thursday to EMR”
“In 2021, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection charged EMR a penalty of $9,500 for two fires”
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does European Metal Recycling compare with other waste & recycling companies?
European Metal Recycling is tied at the bottom of the waste & recycling pack.
Among the 5 major waste & recycling brands we've scored, European Metal Recycling is tied =4th of 5, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Waste & Recycling?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above European Metal Recycling.
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