Global trade in recycle polyethylene was down 14% through June 2018, the loss of China as an import market partly offset by higher imports into other Asia-Pacific markets and also Turkey.

In 2017, recycle polyethylene imports into China of 1.9 million tons accounted for 40% of the global trade total of 4.7 million tons. Imports into China in 2018 were negligible through June but other importing countries have stepped in to partly fill the void. 

In Asia-Pacific, recycle polyethylene imports into Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam accounted for over 700,000 tons through June, up sharply from the first half of 2017. In Eastern Europe, imports into Turkey have doubled, to over 100,000 tons.

From International Trader Publications’ Recycle Polyethylene World Trade Report.