Plastics News
Upcoming Events:
Plastics News Executive Forum
Dates: Monday, March 11, 2024 – Thursday, March 14, 2024
Location: Wyndham Grand, Clearwater Beach, FL
Details: Coming Soon
Current Trending Topics in the News with Links to Articles:
- Governmental and Lobbying:
US seeks middle ground in deeply divided plastics treaty talks
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/us-seeks-middle-ground-plastics-treaty-talks
The U.S. government doesn’t want to join “factions” in the global plastics treaty talks. Instead, it aims to bridge the contentious gaps over what the agreement should require, an American diplomat told a plastics industry conference.
U.S. State Department negotiator Elizabeth Nichols told the event that Washington sees itself occupying a spot between the High Ambition Coalition — a group of 50-plus nations that want the treaty to articulate bolder goals like restraining plastics production — and countries that want more flexibility.
- Features and News Articles:
Exports to China account for billions of pounds of PE produced in US, Canada
North American buyers of polyethylene resin have been asking a big question this year: Where’s all the resin going?
Recent reports from research firm ICIS of Houston partly answer that question by showing big increases of U.S. PE exports to China in the first half of 2023. In that six-month period, the U.S. became China’s largest source of imported linear low density polyethylene resin, helping keep the U.S. market balanced for that material.
U.S. LLDPE makers sold more than 1.4 billion pounds of LLDPE into China in the first half, according to ICIS data. That’s almost 1 billion more pounds than China imported from the U.S. in the same period in 2022. The LLDPE surge allowed the U.S. to bypass Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea to become China’s largest LLDPE importer.
Resin pricing struggles as demand slumps, China production slows
A summer haze hit North American resin markets in July, leaving prices for three major commodity resins unchanged.
Prices for polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC were flat for the month, while prices for polystyrene declined and PET bottle resin prices saw a slight increase.
Resin market analysts say there are few indications that prices will radically change in the coming months due to decreased demand at home and reduced production in China, leading to fewer exports.
Shift to EVs likely to take longer than automakers’ goals
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/auto-market-shift-evs-may-miss-automaker-goals-study-shows
The automotive industry’s shift to battery electric vehicles is expected to take longer than automakers’ current goals for adapting the market to the technology, according to a study by Harbour Results Inc. and AutoForecast Solutions, that looked at the industry’s “transformation” and its impact on Tier 1 through Tier 3 suppliers.
“This conversion to BEVs is not necessarily going to happen at the pace OEMs are saying it’s going to happen,” Laurie Harbour, president and CEO of HRI, told Plastics News in an interview. “This is going to be a bit longer of a stretch.”
Many OEMs have lofty goals of 80-100 percent BEV products by 2030 or 2035. But “it’s going to take much longer,” Harbour said, for suppliers to adapt to issues the gradual shift will present.
PepsiCo ditching plastic rings
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/pepsico-ditching-plastic-beverage-container-rings
PepsiCo Inc. will begin using paper packaging to replace plastic beverage rings on multipacks in the United States starting later this year.
The Purchase, N.Y.-based beverage and snack food giant said Aug. 24 paperboard designs will be introduced in a phased approach, following a similar transition already under way in Canada.
The move by PepsiCo follows Molson Coors Beverage Co.’s decision in 2022 to stop using plastic six-pack rings for the Coors Light product line. That company also unveiled plans to move the company’s entire North American product portfolio away from plastic rings by the end of 2025.
- Recycling and Sustainability:
Recycling plans coming together for NPE2024
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/npe2024-recycling-plans-coming-together
Recycling equipment maker Weima said the firm will be part of a team of companies handling recycling duties at NPE2024, the largest plastics show in North America.
The show, organized by the Plastics Industry Association, is set to take place May 6-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to produce hundreds of tons of plastic products as part of the exhibitions.
Troubled times for European recyclers as demand dwindles
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/troubled-times-european-recyclers-demand-dwindles
The pressure on the European recycling industry is growing as recycled standard thermoplastics prices continued to tumble in July and August. Recycled plastics prices are under severe pressure because of persistent weak demand caused by the economic stagnation throughout Europe and competition from the falling cost of off-spec virgin plastics and cheaper imports from Asia.
Falling virgin material prices are having a major adverse impact on converters’ use of recyclate. Sustainability considerations seem to have now taken a back seat behind economic factors, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. There is also a growing concern in the recycling industry that not all of the large quantities of imported off-spec material from Asia can be classified as meeting European standards for recyclate.
Plastics Recycling World Magazine
Link to July/August 2023 Edition: https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWJulAug23/html/index.html?refUrl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.plasticsrecyclingworld.com%252F
Current Trending Topics:
AMI to hold expanded Plastics World Expos in Brussels in 2024
AMI has announced that its next Plastics World Expo will take place in Belgium on the 11-12 September 2024. With the addition of a new focused exhibition and extra features, the event promises to build on the success of this year’s expos.
Chemical projects make progress despite challenges
Infinite recycling to guarantee a circular economy in plastics is the ultimate goal and chemical recycling – also known as advanced recycling – is destined to be a major part of the solution.
Car companies follow routes to recycled plastics
There has been a surge in interest from carmakers in recycled plastics as the prospect of EU recycled material targets in new cars draws nearer. The EU plans for 25% plastics recycled content in new cars.
Pressure wash: doing more than just cleaning
New challenges for washing systems in a recycling line include larger throughputs and the need to conserve water and energy. See what suppliers are doing to help.
Upcoming Events:
Executive Summit
October 2023
Details Coming Soon
Plastics Recycling Technology
October 10 – 12, 2023
Vienna, Austria
For details and to reserve: https://www.ami-events.com/event/04194add-97e5-4a3b-a5a4-10e937775a9f/summary?RefId=Advert_AMIMagazines&utm_campaign=221002_C1262_PA_IR_Conf_UK_Prospect_Attendees_AMIMag&utm_medium=advert&utm_source=AMImag
Plastics Recycling World Expo – North America
November 15 – 16, 2023
Cleveland, Ohio
For details and to register: https://www.ami-events.com/event/25327b37-2e86-4eda-917d-3fbc4585c492/regProcessStep1:29e62f9a-6da7-472b-8f1d-88c3b01c33fb?RefId=Advert_AMI_magazine3&rp=326f1b5b-5024-49e6-b212-9837e0586b41
AMI Plastics World Expos – Europe
September 11 – 12, 2024
Brussels, Belgium
For details and to register: https://eu.compoundingworldexpo.com/enquire-about-exhibiting
