Through September 2014, US exports of polyolefins, styrenics and PVC have either declined versus the prior year or been unchanged, despite the positive effects of increased US shale gas production on energy and feedstocks. The biggest declines through September were on US exports of uncompounded PVC, down 11%, to 2.00 million tons, and HDPE, down 8%, to 1.3 million tons. The long downward trend in US exports of general purpose polystyrene continued, with shipments YTD down 26%, to 0.10 million tons.

There were smaller declines on US shipments of LLDPE, 0.49 million tons, down 2%, polypropylene homopolymer, 0.76 million tons, down 4%, and expandable polystyrene, down 1%, to 0.06 million tons.

Exports of LDPE were unchanged at 0.54 million tons, as were exports of propylene copolymers, at 0.48 million tons.