London, October 2025 – A year-long investigation, conducted by The New Arab, SIRAJ, and El País, and developed with the support of Journalism Fund Europe, has uncovered troubling facts about the Turkish steel industry. The investigation has revealed that up to 10% of Turkey’s recycled scrap originates from countries currently experiencing war.
The lack of monitoring and tracing in the supply chain has created an environment ripe for exploitation. The demand for scrap metal has attracted profiteers, including warlords, who are using the trade to fund ongoing conflicts.
Children, like 11-year-old Ahmad*, are at the forefront of this dangerous and hidden trade. Ahmad, along with his peers, risks his life scavenging metal scrap from the ruins of war in the outskirts of Damascus. They sell the scrap for a mere four US cents per kilo, making it a more lucrative option than collecting plastic. However, this work comes with toxic risks and brutal conditions for Syria’s displaced families.
This investigation has traced how vulnerable children and families are the first step in this tainted supply chain. The scrap collected by Ahmad and others eventually enters the vast and opaque steel industry in Turkey. Over the past decade, Turkish mills have increasingly relied on metal scrap from war-torn countries such as Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Ukraine, Russia, and Israel/Palestine. This has contributed to Turkey becoming one of the world’s top producers of recycled steel, with export values exceeding $16.1 billion USD.
Despite the risks and exploitation faced by children and families in conflict economies, the global scrap metal trade is valued at a staggering $46 billion. Finished Turkish steel, potentially made from conflict scrap, is used in constructing European infrastructure, including stadiums, airports, hotels, and brand-new apartment blocks. However, as the European Union considers scrap export bans and tightens regulations, companies continue to source recycled steel from Turkish mills, turning a blind eye to the invisible trail of human suffering and child exploitation.
The findings of this investigation serve as a wake-up call for governments, corporations, and regulators to take immediate action. It is crucial to enforce ethical sourcing, enhance monitoring of cross-border scrap imports, and address child labor and conflict sourcing in the steel supply chain that runs through Turkey and the European Union.
*Pseudonym
Notes to Editors:
– The full investigation can be found here.
– High-resolution images are attached to this investigation for use in your coverage. All images and videos are © The New Arab. They may be republished for news reporting and editorial purposes, with credit to The New Arab.
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