U.S. recovered plastic exports during the first quarter were down by nearly half compared with a year ago.
U.S. recovered plastic exports during the first quarter were down by nearly half compared with a year ago.
The move last week by 187 governments to alter a global waste treaty will mean further uncertainty for U.S. scrap plastic exports.
Geneva, Switzerland
The scrap plastic trade will receive focus this week in Switzerland, where countries are meeting to discuss and consider amending global waste regulations.
As international leaders consider action in response to plastic pollution, environmental activists are arguing that turmoil around scrap exports is exacerbating the problem.
Scrap plastic shipments from the U.S. declined from 122 million pounds in January to 120 million pounds in February. That February volume was the lowest single month of plastic exports since December 2003.
Scrap plastic traders continue to circumvent import restrictions in one Southeast Asian country by labeling recovered plastic as another type of commodity.
The Vietnamese government has reiterated its plan to phase out scrap plastic imports altogether, noting all scrap plastic will be barred beginning in 2025.
The U.S. exported 121.5 million pounds of scrap plastic in January, marking the lowest single-month volume since January 2005, trade records show.
A complete ban on scrap plastic imports into India will be delayed until the end of August, giving the global plastics recycling industry some time to adapt.
Chris Cui on stage at the 2019 Plastics Recycling Conference and Trade Show.
Although the recycling relationship between the U.S. and China was hampered by scrap material restrictions, an expert says companies in both countries can help each other.