Building software for the recycling industry requires domain-specific data that can be hard to find if you do not know where to look. Fortunately, a surprising amount of useful data is publicly available from government agencies, trade associations, and regulatory bodies. This guide catalogs the most valuable sources.
Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED)
The FRED database, maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, provides free API access to Producer Price Index data for scrap metals. The key series include PPI for Iron and Steel Scrap (WPU101) and PPI for Nonferrous Metal Scrap (WPU102). These monthly indices track price trends going back decades and are freely redistributable as public domain government data.
FRED also provides related economic indicators that correlate with scrap demand: industrial production indices, housing starts, auto production, and manufacturing PMI data. Combining these with scrap pricing gives you a richer analytical picture.
US Census Bureau
The Census Bureau publishes detailed trade data through the USA Trade Online portal. You can find monthly import and export volumes for scrap metals by HS code, country, and port. This data reveals trade flow patterns that influence domestic scrap pricing.
The Annual Survey of Manufactures provides data on material consumption by industry, which helps model demand for specific scrap types.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries
The US Geological Survey publishes annual reports on mineral commodities including copper, aluminum, iron and steel, zinc, lead, and tin. Each report includes production, consumption, trade, and recycling data. The historical data tables go back 20 or more years, making them invaluable for long-term trend analysis.
EPA Recycling Data
The Environmental Protection Agency publishes data on municipal solid waste generation and recycling rates. Their biennial reports break down recycling by material type, including metals. This data is useful for modeling the supply side of consumer scrap collection.
Trade Association Reports
ReMA (the Recycled Materials Association, formerly ISRI) publishes industry studies and economic reports, though some require membership. The Aluminum Association, Copper Development Association, and American Iron and Steel Institute all publish publicly available data on their respective metals.
State-Level Data
Many states publish recycling data through their environmental or commerce departments. California's CalRecycle, for example, provides detailed data on scrap metal recycling volumes, facility counts, and processing capacity.
Putting It Together
The ScrapMetal API aggregates several of these public data sources into a single normalized interface. But for developers building more specialized applications, going directly to these sources can unlock data dimensions that no single API covers. Understanding the recycling industry data landscape lets you choose the right sources for your specific use case.