Banning scrap metal exports will not curb infrastructure theft because export volumes of scrap have been falling in recent years suggesting the wholesale looting of infrastructure is being driven by other local factors, a trade expert says.

“Metal infrastructure is being stolen at an increasing rate and the volume of scrap metal being exported has been falling. That second point might not feel right, but it is, and this simple lack of correlation is at the heart of why banning the exports of scrap metal won’t work to curb the theft of metal,” trade expert Donald MacKay said on Thursday...

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