US PVC sales rise to record in March: ACC

Spanish Market: Petrochemicals
15/04/26

US polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sales volumes climbed to an all-time high in March as surging export demand following the outbreak of war in the Middle East outweighed lower domestic demand.

US PVC sales rose to 1.53bn lbs in March, up by 1.1pc from March 2025and up by 17pc from February this year, according to American Chemistry Council (ACC) data compiled by Vault Consulting.

This was the highest monthly sales volumes in ACC data stretching back to early 2013.

US producers exported 553.93mn lbs of PVC in March, up by 7.3pc from a year earlier and up by 20pc from February. Global demand has surged after producers in Asia experienced war-related supply chain disruptions that also pushed US PVC export prices to three-year highs.

Domestic PVC sales volumes fell by 3.2pc from March last year to 971.9mn lbs.

US PVC producers ran plants at 81.4pc of capacity in March, up from 76.8 in March 2025 but down from 87.8pc in February, with ACC production estimates for March falling by 1.3pc year-over-year to 1.31bn lbs. Utilization has been on average higher this year after Westlake closed its 450,000 metric tonnes (t)/yr (992mn lbs) PVC plant in Aberdeen, Mississippi, at the end of 2025.

Shintech's 1.44mn t/yr (3.17bn lbs/yr) Freeport, Texas, plant and Formosa's 653,000 t/yr (1.43bn lbs/yr) Baton Rouge, Louisiana plant were both undergoing turnarounds in March. Other scheduled plant turnarounds in March were delayed after the start of the war.

By Gordon Pollock

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15/04/26

LyondellBasell sustainable polymer sales rise in 2025

London, 15 April (Argus) — Chemicals producer LyondellBasell produced and marketed roughly 206,000t of recycled and renewable-based polymers in 2025, slightly higher than the 203,000t the company reported for 2024 . The company aims to produce and market 800,000 t/yr of recycled and renewable-based polymers by 2030. This target was revised down in February 2026 from a previous goal of 2mn t/yr. Part of the progress towards the target will come from the start-up of its first MoReTec pyrolysis plant in Wesseling, Germany, which will have a capacity of 50,000 t/yr, the firm said. LyondellBasell also expects regulatory frameworks, increased consumer focus and voluntary commitments from brands to support stronger demand. But it said that "greater clarity on how chemically recycled content can be attributed to products, including the use of mass-balance accounting, is an important next step for EU policymakers to strengthen certainty and drive investment in chemical recycling". Chief executive Peter Vanacker said that "durable demand signals and willingness to adopt circular and lower-carbon materials are needed to justify large-scale infrastructure and technology deployment across the value chain". In December 2025 , LyondellBasell said it had paused plans to build a plastic recycling hub in Knapsack, Germany, "due to the broader economic environment". It also deferred a final investment decision on a second MoReTec pyrolysis plant in Houston, Texas, until market conditions improve. The company said in its latest report that the deferral reflected "capital discipline, and the expected pace of demand growth". "This provides us more time to engage with regulators, customers and brand owners in North America," it said. LyondellBasell highlighted stronger demand for circular plastics from the automotive sector. "Most of our automotive customers have introduced circular solutions, actively staying ahead of upcoming end-of-life vehicle mandates," said Torkel Rhenman, executive vice-president of the company's Advanced Polymer Solutions segment. Sales of mechanically recycled polymers marketed under the Circulen Recover brand to the automotive industry tripled in 2025 compared with 2024, Rhenman said. By George Barsted and Will Collins Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

WM opens Indianapolis recycling facility

15/04/26

WM opens Indianapolis recycling facility

Houston, 15 April (Argus) — US company Waste Management (WM) opened its fourth new recycling facility this year with the startup this month of a $60mn materials recovery facility (MRF) in Indianapolis, adding upstream sorting capacity as US recycled plastics demand remains uneven. The Indianapolis facility can process up to 200,000 metric tonnes (t)/yr of recyclables and forms part of WM's plan to invest more than $1.4bn between 2022 and 2026 to expand and modernize recycling infrastructure across North America. The opening of the Indianapolis site follows facility openings earlier this year in Orange, California; in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and in Ontario, Canada, according to the Houston-based company. The Indianapolis site uses optical sorting technology for plastics and fiber, upgraded glass recovery systems, and fire-detection equipment, according to the company. As an MRF, the Indianapolis site expands upstream sorting capacity rather than producing recycled resin. The facility is designed to sort and bale recyclable materials for downstream recycling markets, with any increase in recycled resin supply dependent on reclaimer run rates rather than sorting capacity alone. WM has not disclosed specific bale grades that will be produced at the site. The expansion comes as recycled plastics pricing has been driven largely by cost pressure rather than demand growth, with higher freight and operating costs supporting bale prices while downstream buying remains cautious, market participants said. Several sources cautioned that while improved sorting and bale quality are supportive for the system, additional MRF capacity alone does not resolve downstream challenges such as weak end-market demand, margin pressure, and limited incentives for reclaimers to increase run rates. Infrastructure investments of this scale are more likely to benefit vertically integrated or contracted supply chains, while independent reclaimers may remain constrained by margin pressure and uneven demand, market participants said. The facility is intended to strengthen recycling infrastructure and supply chain resilience in Indiana, WM said. In 2024, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management awarded Waste Management of Indiana a $500,000 grant toward glass recycling equipment, which is expected to recover and divert about 23,400 t/yr of glass. The opening of the Indianapolis facility was welcomed by manufacturing groups in the state. "The opening of the WM Indianapolis Recycling Facility is a significant milestone for Indiana's manufacturing ecosystem," said Andrew Berger, president and chief executive officer of the Indiana Manufacturers Association. "By investing in advanced optical sorting and glass recovery technology, WM is providing our state's manufacturers with a reliable, local source of high-quality recycled materials," Berger said. "This facility strengthens supply chain resilience and helps Indiana companies meet growing global demand for sustainable production." WM's expansion follows other recent investments in recycling infrastructure by large waste haulers, including Republic Services' expansion of its Peabody recycling center in greater Boston announced earlier this month. The investments suggest large operators are positioning for longer term growth in recycling volumes despite near-term weakness in recycled plastics markets, market participants said. WM declined to comment further ahead of its upcoming quarterly earnings call on 29 April. By Dona Davis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Vitol gets permit guidance for Rotterdam PPO project

15/04/26

Vitol gets permit guidance for Rotterdam PPO project

London, 15 April (Argus) — DCMR Milieudienst Rijnmond, the joint environment service for the Province of South Holland, has granted the first "declaration of permitability" to Vitol Plastic Recycling (VPR) for its Rotterdam pyrolysis project. The declaration clarifies what is likely to be required for a project to succeed from an environmental and permitting perspective. This guidance helps to substantiate further development steps such as finance/investment decisions and subsidy applications. "At an early stage, plans are often not yet sufficiently detailed for a complete permit application. Nevertheless, at that point, there is usually already enough information available to make guiding statements—with the aid of a declaration of permitability—that help the company make choices", DCMR Milieudienst Rijnmond managing director Daan Molenaar said. "It is important to have clarity regarding the feasibility of innovative projects at an early stage. This permitability statement helps us make more targeted choices and further develop our plans", VPR chief executive Jeffrey van Geloof said. By Will Collins Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU virgin-recycled premiums extend record gains

13/04/26

EU virgin-recycled premiums extend record gains

London, 13 April (Argus) — The competitiveness of recycled polymers compared with their virgin equivalents in Europe have extended records in April, as exports of plastic and petrochemical feedstocks from the Middle East remain highly disrupted. Demand for recycled polymers increased, particularly for less-demanding and cost-saving applications. But many recyclers are concerned about the longer-term implications of the entirely supply-driven price rally on their demand and margins. Based on spot prices, the current cost comparison between virgin and recycled polyolefins and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most skewed in favour of recyclates as a cheaper option since Argus began assessments. Data start in 2022 for polyolefins and in early 2024 for PET, when Argus launched its delivered northwest Europe PET resin spot assessment. In polyolefins, buyers of low- and linear low-density polyethylene (LDPE and LLDPE) on the spot market to make black or dark-coloured films could save more than 50pc by using recycled pellets, notwithstanding additional processing costs. Manufacturers of corrugated HDPE pipes could save 40-50pc by switching to recycled material. For PET, rPET flakes are now €300/t less expensive than virgin PET, having only become cheaper — for the first time in two years — in early March. Higher virgin polymer prices result from growing tightness and rising production costs, particularly because of disruption to exports of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), crude oil and naphtha through the strait of Hormuz. Recyclate prices have risen to a much lesser extent than the virgin equivalents, as the direct effects of the war on recycled supply chains has been much less. Higher demand for recyclates is particularly prevalent in non-packaging applications with fewer technical barriers to material substitution. It can also be seen in more complex applications where converters may not have maximised their allowance for recycled content in 2025 and early 2026 because of cheap virgin polymer prices. The increase in demand is leading recyclers to target margin improvement, following a long period in which cheap virgin polymers squeezed profitability in the industry. Margins for rPET, rHDPE pipe and rLDPE/LLDPE have increased since the start of the war. Margins for rPP have not yet gained by much, owing to rising feedstock costs, but more upward pressure on rPP pellet prices is likely in the coming weeks. Downstream demand at risk Recyclers may be benefitting from geopolitical turmoil in the short term, but many are concerned about the longer-term effects. Unlike in the Covid-19 pandemic, when virgin polymer prices rose in part because of higher consumer spending power, price inflation arising from the war is likely to negatively effect demand. The latest S&P Global eurozone construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey showed the most pronounced fall in new orders since October, with firms pointing to surging energy prices as a key factor. Consumer confidence in the EU27 countries hit a 2.5-year low in March, Eurostat data show. Converters are concerned about their ability to pass through the recent cost increases within supply chains. Many downstream customers may not yet have seen the full extent of the increases, which are passed down the chain with a delay. Some converters said they are at a juncture, where some production lines would need to be stopped if downstream buyers are unwilling to pay higher prices. Recyclers are already facing higher energy costs, with tighter global natural gas supply because of Emirati and Qatari LNG outages. European gas and electricity price increases have been capped since the start of the conflict by higher year-on-year supply from elsewhere, relatively warm recent temperatures and market expectation of a return to 'normal' supply in the coming months. In a scenario where a ceasefire is agreed and supply starts to normalise within the next four to six weeks, Argus Consulting projections suggest Europe can avoid a significant storage deficit into the winter. But the risk of major tightness increases the longer the war continues, and the risk of low EU natural gas storage levels heading into next winter is a concern for the recycling industry, with gas-fired generation setting the marginal power price in most of Europe. By Will Collins Virgin PET premiums to rPET, spot del NWE €/t Virgin PE PP premiums to rPE PP, spot del NWE €/t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Ceasefire offers little relief to Indian plastic makers

09/04/26

Ceasefire offers little relief to Indian plastic makers

Mumbai, 9 April (Argus) — The fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran is unlikely to offer an immediate respite to Indian plastic converters who are grappling with rising feedstock prices that are eroding their production margins. Since the Iran war began, prices have increased by nearly 50pc, with no indication that they will decrease anytime soon. Indian PP raffia prices were last assessed at $1,300-1,400/t cfr India on 2 April, up by $445/t or 49pc compared with $890-920/t on February 27 before the war started. Indian low-density polyethylene prices were assessed at $1,600-1,700/t cfr India on 2 April, up by $580/t or 54pc compared with $1,060-1,080/t on February 27. Lower polymer imports from the Middle East and rising domestic prices are putting pressure on plastic converters which manufacture packaging materials among other products. And their customers, such as fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms, are reluctant to accept the hike in packaging material costs, leaving them in a challenging situation. "A large percentage of plastic converters in India are micro, small and medium enterprises, who have been hit the worst," Amit Kumar Agarwal, the President of Indian Plastics Federation (IPF), told Argus . Even for orders that were booked before the war, suppliers are demanding surcharges amounting to hundreds of dollars per metric ton due to shipping constraints, which are adding more pressure on converters. Middle East imports hit The Middle East conflict has put at least of half of India's total polymer imports in jeopardy, as the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries supply most of the imports. For 2025, the Middle East supplied around 62pc of India's polyethylene (PE) imports, or 1.41 mn t. The region also supplied 51pc of India's polypropylene (PP) imports, or 930,000 t. The de facto closure of the strait of Hormuz has led suppliers to use Oman's East Coast ports such as Salalah and Sohar to send limited material. But overall exports from the region remain significantly reduced since the war. The market is also sceptical about whether the ceasefire will hold and for how long. Less than 24 hours after the announcement on Tuesday, the two sides are offering conflicting accounts of key terms of the ceasefire and of a potential peace agreement. Attacks on energy infrastructure in Iran and in neighbouring Mideast Gulf states continued in the hours after the ceasefire was announced. Even if the conflict ends, there's no certainty on product availability as several petrochemicals production units have been hit in missile and drone attacks, Dubai-based traders said. Petrochemical producers in the Middle East, including UAE's Borouge and Kuwait's Petrochemical Industries Company, faced drone and missile attacks on Sunday. Iranian attacks also caused fires in Saudi Arabia's Jubail — a key hub for petrochemicals. Supply crunch goes on In India, domestic producers have had to cut production further tightening supply. State-controlled Indian Oil, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL), HPCL-Mittal Energy, and Reliance Industries (RIL) have all cut PP output , after the Indian government asked refiners to divert propane, butene and propylene toward cooking gas production, limiting feedstock availability for petrochemicals. "We have only passed down the higher feedstock costs partially," an official with a state-owned producer said. Several producers expect prices to stay elevated in the near-term unless the feedstock prices come down. State-owned Opal and Gail also cut production, squeezing PE supplies. To alleviate the pain of high feedstock prices, the Indian government slashed import duties on petrochemicals products to zero until the end of June. But this has had little effect on offers from China, which has stepped in to fill the void left by Middle East producers, several traders said. Following the ceasefire announcement on 9 April, some China-based traders cut their offers. But others continue to offer at high levels citing market uncertainty and high Indian domestic prices. The IPF has written to the government to extend the import tax waiver for six months as the war could go on for a long time, Agarwal told Argus . The outcome of that petition is awaited. Sooner or later consumer product makers will need to pass the higher costs to the end-users. The Indian consumers will likely feel the impact of rising packaging material costs from this month with producers either hiking prices or cutting volumes, Dhairyashil Patil, president of the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation, told Argus . By Sourasis Bose Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US PVC sales rise to record in March: ACC

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