BIR World Mirror on Plastics

In my summer report on the international scenario for the plastic scrap market, I referred to the following changes in the first quarter of 2014:

• Difficulties in getting empty containers and also increasing sea freight rates.
• The gradual strengthening of the Euro.
• The push for local recycling leading to increased consumption of plastics scrap in domestic markets.

The situation has changed dramatically after the summer. Sea freight rates have decreased, the availability of empty containers is no longer an issue, the Euro has weakened substantially, local demand has reduced and exports have risen tremendously. There has also been a sharp change in sentiment.

The plastics market in the USA is very strong. There is greater awareness of the need for recycling and a greater eagerness to use recycled materials. Walmart wants to increase the post-consumer recycled content of its plastics packaging by 1.4m tonnes (or 3bn pounds) by the year 2020 (...)

Surendra Borad Patawari
Gemini Corporation N. V.
Chairman of the BIR Plastics Committee

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