Demand remained weak for plastic regranulate and regrind on the German market in February. The situation is especially difficult for polypropylene regrind, as this material is almost impossible to sell. There was also declining demand for PVC regrind. Prices for PP and PVC regrind softened in many cases in February compared to the previous month. Polystyrene and and polyethylene regrind prices, on the other hand, were still relatively stable, even though sales volumes for these regrind types are described as unsatisfactory.
Plastics recyclers in Germany find themselves in the middle of a full-fledged structural crisis. For months, recyclers have faced enormous economic pressure from the combination of inflation, high energy prices, low-priced primary plastics (from the US and elsewhere) as well as lower consumer and industrial demand. Moreover, they say, they are suffering after years of political “plastics bashing”....
