An industry analyst recently gave insight on how the virgin plastic market is impacting recycled plastic markets. | Joyce Blessthink/Shutterstock
Recycled plastic sellers are facing cost pressures from cheap virgin material, and an expert says reclamation costs will not come down to close that pricing gap.
Recycled-plastic consumer Unifi’s profitability increased substantially during the fourth quarter. | Elle Aon/Shutterstock
Two large manufacturers of recycled-plastic products – Unifi and Greystone Logistics – stayed on track late last year despite COVID-19 complications, financial filings show.
PRI is the latest company to open North American capacity for e-plastics. | Courtesy of Plastics Recycling, Inc.
Indianapolis-based Plastic Recycling, Inc. has expanded with a project that underscores the opportunities and complexities in recycling plastics from scrap electronics.
With fewer available drivers comes less available trucking supply, leading to higher prices and potential disruptions in trucking availability for those in the recycling industry. | Vitpho/Shutterstock
A driver shortage that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to create challenges for moving recyclables this year, analysts say.
Prices for recovered plastics increased across the board during the past month, with natural high-density polyethylene bales notching another record.
COVID-19 and pricing pressure led companies to seek other supply lines for PET feedstock. | Pixel B/Shutterstock
A confluence of RPET market disruptions in 2020 included low prime plastic pricing and supply challenges that led end users to seek feedstock from other sources. Still, experts maintain a surge of RPET demand is fast approaching.
As the year comes to a close, the price of natural high-density polyethylene bales notched another record. Color HDPE also continues to climb.
Amcor sees the greatest opportunity for use of PCR in its PET and HDPE rigid packaging portfolio. | Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
Amcor, one of the largest packaging producers in the world, used nearly 84,000 metric tons of PCR during the 2020 fiscal year, according to its sustainability report.
The average price of natural HDPE bales have reached another record high this month. Continue Reading
Analysts say that new Chinese import regulations covering recycled pellets have created challenges for exporters of the material. | Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock
In the U.S., the plastics recycling market has been largely dictated by pandemic-related collection and demand realities. Overseas, a recent Chinese move to restrict recycled plastic pellet imports is posing trade challenges.