Trade volume for recyclable PE, styrenics and PVC has been relatively consistent over the last several years, despite changes in the amount of virgin polymer traded globally, fluctuations in the price of virgin polymer, government restrictions on imports of recyclable material, changing demand by brand owners, new technologies, and other factors. Trade flows between countries and regions have, however, changed.

Recyclable polymers of ethylene, styrene and VCM are described in the Harmonized System of product coding as “waste, parings and scrap” that includes post-consumer and post-industrial material.

The volume of recyclable PE traded globally from 2020 to 2025 ranged between 2.8 and 3.1 million tons per year; recyclable styrenics, between 230,000 to 299,000 tons per year; recyclable PVC, between 260,000 and 348,000 tons per year, and recyclable PET, between 1.8 to 2.0 million tons per year.

Trends between countries and regions varied by polymer. These are discussed further for the two largest volume recyclable polymers, PET and PE, in ITP’s blogs “Global Trade in Virgin PET Polymer Soared in 2025; Trade in Recyclable PET Shrank“, and, “The Volume of Recyclable Polyethylene Traded Globally from 2020-2025 Ranged Between 2.8 and 3.1 Million Tons per Year, but With Important Underlying Regional Shifts.“