The Basel Convention regulated plastic scrap in 2021, but each party country must adopt domestic laws to enforce those rules. | hanohiki/Shutterstock
The Malaysian government recently published regulations indicating the country will stop all U.S.-sourced imports of scrap plastic on July 1, and reports from traders indicate the flow already has slowed. Continue Reading
Recovered material imports, like the 1 million tons of recovered fiber the U.S. brought in from Canada last year, appear to be tariff-exempt under a new executive order. | Pjhpix/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
Some companies, including major material haulers, are taking a tempered view of the tariffs, especially given the amount of macroeconomic turmoil that has accompanied the past five years. | chuyuss/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.
The U.S. exported 13.3 million short tons of recovered fiber throughout the year, down from 14.8 million short tons in 2023. | Magnifier/Shutterstock
Recovered paper exports dropped 11% year-over-year in 2024, and scrap plastic exports fell by about 2%, according to new trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Continue Reading
Between January and November 2024, Mexico provided 18% of the 1.285 million metric tons of bottle-grade and film-grade PET resin, while Canadian volumes accounted for 7%, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. | November Studio/Shutterstock
U.S. President Donald Trump implemented 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, effective Feb. 4, then delayed them, creating a rapidly changing trade landscape that furthered uncertainty in the recycling and plastics industries. Continue Reading
Proposed tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China could have effects that reverberate from consumer goods to paper packaging. | Chuyuss/Shutterstock
As the January inauguration approaches – and with it the prospect of hefty tariffs on Mexico and Canada – market participants and industry analysts said any potential effects on recycled paper and containerboard markets would largely be indirect. Continue Reading
Exports of key recovered materials continued recent trends from July through September of this year, with paper exports declining modestly and plastic exports flat. | apiguide/Shutterstock
Recovered fiber exports have continued a multi-year decline in 2024, both in the third quarter and in the first nine months of the year as a whole. Plastic exports, however, have stayed steady and even slightly increased throughout the year. Continue Reading
Fiber exports continued their multiyear downward trajectory overall, though Canada and Malaysia marked double-digit increases on the year. | F-Armstrong-Photography/Shutterstock
Recovered paper exports angled downwards during the first half of 2024, as major overseas buyers decreased their purchases by as much as 30% year over year. On the plastics side, more than half the material that left the U.S. stayed in North America.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, U.S. exports of recovered paper fell and plastic exports remained steady in the first quarter of 2024. | Joyseulay/Shutterstock
Exports of U.S. recovered paper dwindled to their lowest first-quarter volume since 2002, driven by substantial declines to major buyers in Thailand and India. Plastic shipments remained steady year over year. Continue Reading
Although recycled pulp export activity has slowed considerably, Total Fiber Recovery has started up its mill in Virginia and is producing bales of dried recycled pulp for export and domestic sale. | Photo courtesy Total Fiber Recovery
In May 2018, as the global recycling industry was reeling from the Chinese government’s move to ban or heavily restrict imports of key recovered paper grades, the largest paper company in China made an investment that drew some attention. Continue Reading