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Tag Archives: markets

Analysts detail uncertainty for recycled plastics

Published: April 2, 2025
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Andrea Bassetti, recycled plastics analytics lead at market intelligence firm ICIS, lays out factors driving recycled resin markets at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference. | Photo Credit: Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling, Inc.

Analysts from market intelligence firms emphasized the lack of solid footing and stiff competition from virgin resin and imports as key challenges for the plastics recycling market, during sessions at the recent Plastics Recycling Conference.  Continue Reading

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HDPE bale spread widens further despite firming prices

Published: March 24, 2025
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Although color bales rose on the month, the key construction sector continued to struggle and waste import bans in Indonesia and Thailand took effect. | Lipik Stock Media/Shutterstock

March prices for HDPE natural bales rose by 10% on the month to a more than three-year high, further widening the price spread with color bales amid bearish end-use sectors and new waste import bans in Southeast Asia.  Continue Reading

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Republic Services unveils Indianapolis polymer complex

Published: March 19, 2025
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The hauler has been pre-buying post-consumer bales from across the Midwest for several months for the complex, which features a Polymer Center and the Blue Polymers resin production plant. | Photo courtesy Republic Services

Republic Services officially opened its Indianapolis plastics recycling complex this week, marking the hauler’s entry into the recycled plastic resin market and continuing its expansion from supplying bales to processing and converting the plastics reclaimed within. Continue Reading

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PP bale prices continue northward trek

Published: March 19, 2025
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Polypropylene bale pricing has risen to levels not seen since August 2022, largely attributed to increasing demand for use in food-contact packaging. | Retan/Shutterstock

Post-consumer PP bale pricing has continued to rise in March, reflecting trends in recycled content adoption and potentially encouraging MRFs to sort for the polymer.  Continue Reading

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Some tariffs suspended, metal duties spur backlash

Published: March 12, 2025
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Cargo containers at a shipping port.

New metal tariffs on imports from all countries into the U.S. spurred quick retaliation from the European Union and Canada. | nattanan726/Shutterstock

The U.S. tariff whirlwind continues this month: Many imports from Canada and Mexico, including those of recycled materials, had their tariffs suspended two days after they took effect last week, while previously announced tariffs on aluminum and steel from all countries are set to take effect Wednesday. Continue Reading

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Scrap plastic from Canada, Mexico subject to tariffs

Published: March 5, 2025
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In 2024, the U.S. imported 393 million pounds of scrap plastic, primarily PET and mixed plastics, from Canada. | Vacancylizm/Shutterstock

Update: Most of the new tariffs on imports from both Mexico and Canada were paused until April 2, following executive orders President Donald Trump signed on March 6.

The Recycled Materials Association warned of potential “severe” disruption to the materials recovery sector after tariffs targeting the U.S.’s largest trading partners took effect March 4, bringing higher costs to import nearly all goods, including recycled commodities. Continue Reading

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Price spread between color, natural HDPE at record high

Published: February 26, 2025
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The price spread between the two grades of HDPE bales stood at 85.07 cents per pound for February, according to RecyclingMarkets.net data, the highest level the index has tracked in seven years. | Jared Paben/Resource Recycling

The price spread between natural and color HDPE reached a record high in February, as natural bales pricing increased while mixed-color bales remained near historic lows.  Continue Reading

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Demand, virgin pricing drive runup in PP bale values

Published: February 20, 2025
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Closeup of PP with a chasing arrows recycling symbol.

Both buyers and sellers quoted prices as high as 17 cents per pound in mid-February, citing capacity additions and competition with virgin resin for the runup. | CalypsoArt/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about food-grade recycled PP and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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California RPET market lightly affected by wildfires

Published: January 29, 2025
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Although reclaimers and others experienced disruptions in electricity and logistics, the regional RPET market as yet has not been significantly affected. | Eley Archive/Shutterstock

As the threat from wildfires in Southern California subsides thanks to heavy rains in the region, market participants said that so far the effect on RPET market has been minimal, though workers’ lives were disrupted. Continue Reading

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PCR procurement shifts as needed volumes grow

Published: January 29, 2025
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As brand owners increasingly require larger volumes of higher-quality recycled plastic, the procurement landscape is gradually shifting to a more formalized structure, while less traditional sourcing also continues to emerge. | Meaw Stocker/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about procurement trends and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading