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- Governmental and Lobbying
EU Bioeconomy Strategy fast-tracks bioplastics targets in PPWR
https://www.plasticsnews.com/suppliers/bioplastics/sp-eu-bioplastics-ppwr-bioeconomy-strategy/
The European Commission today adopted its Bioeconomy Strategy, part of a package of Acts aimed at boosting European industrial competitiveness and reducing the continent’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The strategy places a heavy emphasis on scaling up the production and adoption of bio-based materials, including bioplastics.
The strategy integrates bioplastics directly into the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The Commission confirmed it will “support the recognition and uptake of bio-based plastics and novel materials, in complementarity with recycled content targets, ensuring a coherent approach across applications”.
It now plans to introduce criteria and targets for bio-based plastics under the PPWR by 2027, one year earlier than the deadline initially set in the legislation. The PPWR says the Commission will conduct an impact analysis on the possibility of introducing bio-based content targets within three years of the PPWR entering into force, ie 12 February 2028.
The Strategy also includes provisions to assess whether EU-wide definitions could support certification and scaling of biobased polymers under the PPWR.
- Features and News Articles
Tariffs help push PET bottle resin prices up in October
A reinstatement of tariffs on imported PET bottle resin helped push prices up an average of 3 cents per pound in North America in October.
Imports of virgin and recycled PET into the U.S. from several Asian countries have been subject to full U.S. tariffs since Sept. 8. That move surprised many in the market — since those regions and materials had been exempted previously — and led to spot prices for virgin PET jumping 6-9 cents per pound in September.
As a result, North American PET makers, including Alpek Polyester USA, announced fairly large price increases for October. Alpek had planned to increase PET prices 6-9 cents per pound effective Oct. 1.
But low seasonal demand and drops in feedstock prices helped to limit that increase to an average of 3 cents, according to sources contacted by Plastics News. PET demand typically is driven by demand from the beverage market, which declines as cooler weather impacts much of the region.
Material Insights: Why some resin prices stayed flat in October
(link to video)
This week on Material Insights, Frank Esposito reports that polyethylene and PVC prices remained flat in October, marking four straight months of stability for polyethylene. He explains that strong export activity is tightening domestic supply, while slow construction demand and reduced production are keeping PVC prices steady despite buyer pressure for further cuts.
Mergers & Acquisition Tracker
Updated list of merger and acquisition deals within the plastics industry. Details include the buyer and the company or assets being purchased, along with a link to read more about each transaction.
- Recycling and Sustainability
Industry giants call for mandatory locally recycled content
Members of Europe’s plastics value chain, including LyondellBasell (LYB) and Eastman, have issued a call to action to the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission.
They claim the continent’s recycled plastics industry is on the verge of collapse due to what they describe as “unfair competition and a regulatory framework still under development.”
The call to action follows a roundtable with European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall on 29 October addressing the plastic recycling crisis. It urges policymakers to implement rapid and concrete measures to safeguard Europe’s industrial leadership, ensure long-term competitiveness and maintain the region as a viable location for future investment.
Recyclers under pressure amid higher costs and falling recyclate demand
https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-prices/sp-recyclate-polymer-prices-november-2025/
Standard recyclate prices fell steadily across all classes in October and across most classes during the first half of November.
In October, R-PET prices fell €10-20/tonne and are falling €40-50/tonne in November. There is a massive premium for R-PET compared with the cost of virgin material, which has led to a migration from R-PET sales to sales of virgin material. R-PET volumes should be increasing due to EU regulatory requirements for a percentage of recycled content in packaging. However, many brands are not meeting their regulatory requirements due to prohibitive prices for R-PET and because there are no penalties for those who do not meet their R-PET targets.
In October and November, R-LDPE natural film prices have fallen by a combined total of €65/tonne. R-HDPE prices fell by €10/tonne in October and are stable in November. R-HIPS prices have fallen by a combined total of €30/tonne over the last two months; R-PP prices have fallen €10-20/tonne over the same period.
- Plastics News Calendar of Plastics-Related Events
https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/peek-plastics-news-calendar-plastics-related-events/
Plastics Recycling World Magazine
November/December 2025 issue: https://content.yudu.com/web/1rl19/0A42x3p/PRWNovDec25/html/index.html?refUrl=https%253A%252F%252Fmagazines.amiplastics.com%252F
KShow News
K 2025, still the most prominent trade fair for textiles and fiber industries worldwide, closed on 15 October after welcoming 175,000 visitors through the doors of the Messe Düsseldorf in Germany.
In view of the current difficult economic climate and other factors affecting the plastics industry, many companies travelled to Düsseldorf with subdued expectations, said organizers. But encouragingly, they described the prevailing mood across the fully occupied exhibition grounds as “good” as the industry presented itself as more resilient and forward-thinking than ever.
Colours designed for improving recyclate
As plastic compounds containing post-consumer recyclate (PCR) make their way into a growing number of applications, colour pigments – from black and white to a range of brilliant shades and even special effects – play an important role in appearance and functionality.
Technology advances help PCR quality
Quality control in plastics recycling is a multidimensional challenge driven not just by practicalities and technical factors, but also by market and regulatory forces. The average proportion of post-consumer recyclate (PCR) in new plastic products remains below the targets set by the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) directives, partly due to quality versus virgin material.
The need to ensure recycled polymer quality is being addressed by groups involved in rheology R&D, material testing, inspection and sorting and recycling technology.
PET recycling technology makes greater gains
PET may be the best-established sector in plastics recycling, but that has not deterred companies and organizations in the PET value chain from further improving PET recycling. Recent technology developments can be seen in conical twin-screw extruders, flake-to-perform processing, and liquid state polycondensation. Meanwhile, compliance with food safety and other regulatory requirement are the driver of other new announcements.
