In 2011, China will import approximately 18 million tons of virgin commodity polymers, plus 8 million tons of scrap and waste polymer. China will export 3 million tons of virgin commodity polymers and more than 3.5 million tons of specific fabricated plastics products identified by polymer, plus 2.5 million tons of fabricated product groups of mixed polymers. These important trade flows are covered in a new report.

Based on actual data for the first eleven months of the year, China’s virgin polymer imports for the full year 2011 are expected to reach 8 million tons of polymers of polyethylene and EVA, 5 million tons of polypropylene and propylene copolymers, 3 million tons of polystyrene, ABS and SAN, 1.4 million tons of PVC and 0.2 million tons of PET. Many of these polymers compete with each other for end uses.

China’s exports of virgin polymers are projected to reach nearly 3 million tons for the year, about half of which is PET and PVC. Record high exports of polyolefins for the year will account for another 800,000 tons. These export flows are factors in China’s demand.

China’s imports of scrap polyethylene, up sharply for the year, will total over 3 million tons. Scrap polypropylene will be another 2 million tons; and scrap PVC and PET well over 1 million tons each. Some of this, particularly polyethylene and PET, will go into the same end uses as virgin polymer.

Among the many fabricated plastic products China exports to the world, over 3.5 million tons can be identified by polymer. These include over 1.3 million tons of polyethylene and polypropylene sacks and bags and 800,000 tons of PVC floor and wall coverings. In addition, over 2.5 million tons are visible as mixed polymer exports of various packaging and consumer items. These exports impact domestic producers in other countries.

The China Polymer Trade Report is a new monthly newsletter that provides a comprehensive understanding of China’s polymer trade as virgin polymer imports and exports, imports of scrap and waste and exports of fabricated products. It follows polymers and plastic products of ethylene, propylene, styrene, VCM and PET.

The first issue will be published January 25, 2012 and will cover China’s trade for the full year 2011.

[important]Succeeding issues of The China Polymer Trade Report will be published on line directly after China’s statistics are issued, less than four weeks after the reporting month, thus providing the most current information possible on these important trade flows. The first issue, covering full year 2011, may be purchased separately.[/important]

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Jean J. Sudol
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