The US exported 9.1 million tons of polyethylene (all grades combined) through July 2025, up 5% from the same period in 2024. Trade with Asia-Pacific slowed, but there were strong gains to Eastern Europe and Africa and moderate increases to Western Europe and Latin America. Average prices remained depressed.
Continue readingTag Archives: recyclable polymers
Understanding Global Trade in Recyclable PE, Styrenics and PVC
Between 2017 and 2022 the volume of global trade for these materials fell. The two main components of global trade, intra-regional trade plus exports to other regions also dropped, although with important differences by region.
Continue readingTrends in United States Exports of Recyclable Polymers
The US exported 557,000 tons of recyclable polymers in 2021, one-third the volume of what was shipped in 2017. In addition to a sharp decline in volume over that period, the distribution of US exports changed. Latin America and Canada now account for a greater share of the total, although Asia-Pacific remains the largest volume destination. Further declines in US exports to Asia-Pacific are likely given the decision by CMA CGM, the US’s largest shipper of these materials, to end shipments as of June 1, 2022.
Continue readingLong-term Trends in Imports and Exports for Every Country and Region are Revealed in ITP’s New Trade Archive From 2010
The new Trade Archive is a resource of historic volume, price and trading partner information for every country and region from 2010.
Continue readingTrends in Global Trade in Recyclable PE, Styrenics, PVC, PET, PP and Others
The volume of global trade in recyclable polymers in 2020 was less than half of what it was five years ago. The amount of recyclable polymer traded fell from 15.3 million tons in 2016, to 7.0 million tons in 2020. The rate of decline slowed markedly in 2019 and 2020
Continue readingTrends in US Exports of Recyclable Polymers
US exports of recyclable polymers fell from nearly 2 million tons in 2016 to 624,000 tons in 2020. The rate of decline slowed from 2018 through 2020 but new US government initiatives to cut greenhouse gases and reduce plastic waste may have an impact.
Continue reading