• 2024年8月14日
  • Market: Chemicals, Polymers

近年来,再生塑料市场正由传统的低价替代向环保减碳等方面推动的高品质回收与再利用转变。阿格斯就大家比较关心的几个问题在由拾柴环境主办的第二届硬塑回收峰会前对国龙环保董事长郭家万和拾柴的创始人王韧进行了访谈:

  • 中国再生塑料出口前景
  • 再生塑料的食品接触应用
  • 欧盟一次性塑料指令中的“镜像条款”等

您认为出口市场对您的产品有多少需求(以及针对哪些产品 - rPET、rHDPE、 rPP? 包装等级? ) ...主要出口市场是什么?

国龙郭家万:再生塑料市场应用主要是国际品牌客户的需求,大品牌企业对环保再生产品的使用,是主动履行社会责任,通过企业的行动推动废旧塑料的回收利用。在中国市场上 国际品牌企业在这两年来一直在测试,小批量试用再生塑料,在东南亚港澳市场上开始投送再生塑料包装产品,也有很多国际品牌企业生产基地在中国,他们的出口产品基本开始使用再生塑料,在日化领域是以rHDPE、rPP为主,在食品包装上是以rPET为主而且都是需要达到食品级要求,并需要取得FDA、EFSA认证!


大多数参与者都在关注回收的食品接触材料,但中国目前不允许在食品接触应用中使用回收材料。在这种情况下,中国回收商应如何发展业务?热解是否是中国回收商的合适途径?

拾柴环境王韧:目前,中国PET回收企业的高价值产品应用主要方向是纺织纤维,工业丝和其他非食品级应用,食品级rPET产品也可以满足一些个人护理产品的特殊需求,其他食品级rPET供应还包括出口中国香港和海外市场。
热裂解在中国还在探索阶段,今年国内宣布了几个商业化项目的建设,但其运行仍有待时日,仍需市场验证。今年8月27-28日我们在上海会有一个国际硬质聚烯烃回收峰会,其中就有化学回收和热解的相关议题,大家有兴趣的可以关注参与。


欧盟正在考虑在《一次性塑料指令》中加入“镜像条款”。这意味着,欧盟外的回收商向欧盟出口材料并希望这些材料计入欧盟再生含量目标时,将被要求达到与欧洲回收商相同的原料、工艺和环境标准。你预计这一政策会如何发展?你认为这会对你的业务产生什么影响?


国龙郭家万:对于国龙再生塑料来说是没有难度的,因为国龙再生的工艺技术,生产设备,环境标准都是与欧洲相同的,也是使用消费后PCR原料,这几年来,我们经过了二十多家国际品牌公司对产品的检测,验厂,生产环境等各项要求测试,安全达到他们的要求,镜像条款对于国龙再生来说是可以做到的。但对于中国很多再生企业恐怕一定的限制。如果欧盟推动这个政策,也许会通过验厂验证“一企一策”的认证许可。

作为国内回收行业的领先企业,国龙未来的发展目标是什么,近期是否有计划投资化学法回收领域?

国龙郭家万:国龙再生经过十年的发展,现在已经建立了相当大的产能,为一系列不同的用途生产回收材料(见表)。我们成功实施了涵盖食品级和工业级产品的全产业链商业模式。

 Recycling type  Capacity (t/yr)
 Food-grade rPET    60,000
 Food-grade rHDPE   20,000
 Food-grade rPP    20,000
 Pipe grade recyclates   80,000
 Industrial grade  rHDPE    20,000


您是否预计在不久的将来中国食品包装市场将开始发展再生材料市场(即法规变化)?您预计中国还会出现哪些法规变化来支持回收行业?

拾柴环境王韧:中国正在研究包装应用再生材料的安全性,这不仅仅包括再生塑料,还包括再生金属,比如易拉罐是否可以使用再生铝。本地市场也在等待相关的文件出台。
目前,国家已经出台以旧换新政策,反向发票开票政策等等,都对回收行业扩大起到促进作用,相信在垃圾分类领域,可能将是后期政府政策出台的方向。当然,建立完整的回收体系需要更多实施战略,以及更多时间来摸索发展路径和进行建设。

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26/02/27

US rPET demand under sustained pressure: PRC

US rPET demand under sustained pressure: PRC

Houston, 27 February (Argus) — Weak demand for US rPET dominated discussions at the Plastics Recycling Conference this week as buyers pull back, brands extend sustainability timelines, and low-priced imports and virgin PET intensify competition. Market deterioration continues as major recycler Evergreen Recycling, which filed for bankruptcy early last year, shut its plants in Clyde, Ohio, and Albany, New York, this week after its revolving credit lender moved to seize assets, forcing an immediate halt to operations, according to a 24 February Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Evergeen was one of the largest US rPET suppliers, and the plant closures reduce available recycling capacity. PET recyclers are facing mounting strain as rPET imports continue to displace US material, making it harder for recyclers to compete. "With the five closures, we've estimated about a 16pc capacity reduction, and it's exacerbating the problem," Laura Stewart, executive director of National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), told Argus in an interview at the conference, held in San Diego, California . "If domestic PET recyclers can't process bales and find strong end markets, it's going to be a challenge to keep the system going." Participants also noted that PET bottle recycling rates remain near 30pc nationwide and vary widely between states. California reclaimers described similar weak conditions, with persistently low prices failing to cover rising labor and processing costs. Several reclaimers said state-level subsidies are needed to maintain operations until demand improves, given the tightening margins across the market. "At the end of the day, you can't run a business on vibes. You've got to make payroll," said Paul Bahou, president of California-based Global Plastics Recyling. Bahou argued that subsidies are needed to ensure that the bottles that are collected can actually be recycled. "Collections is not recycling," Bahou said. "You need to take it [recycleable material] all the way." Bale pricing in California was described as stable but vulnerable to external shifts. Weakened purchasing activity from Mexico, traditionally a major buyer of US PET bales, has removed a key outlet for west coast supply, contributing to the soft demand environment. Conference discussions also highlighted structural limitations in the US system, including uneven access to recycling, competition with low priced virgin PET and limited domestic wash line capacity. The sudden loss of Evergreen's two plants intensified concerns that without stronger, more consistent end-market demand, US recyclers will continue to face financial pressure even as recycled content mandates expand. By Dona Davis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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New 10pc US tariff keeps aromatics arbs shut


26/02/25
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26/02/25

New 10pc US tariff keeps aromatics arbs shut

Houston, 25 February (Argus) — The new 10pc tariff on US imports that replaced earlier traiffs ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court keep aromatics arbitrage opportunities in the US closed on paper. The new 10pc tariffs will keep arbitrages closed for benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes (BTX) for chemical use. As of 24 February, US benzene (BZ) stood at a $145/t premium to South Korea BZ, according to Argus data, but with the 10pc tariff rate and freight costs at $72/t, the arbitrage remained closed on paper. Similarly, toluene closed at a $145/t premium and mixed xylenes closed at a $129/t premium to toluene and mixed xylenes in South Korea, but the 10pc tariff and freight costs kept those arbitrages shut. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise the 10pc tariffs — enacted under a different law that allows them to only be in place for 150 days before requiring Congressional approval — to 15pc . The new tariffs continue to provide an exemption for BTX imports for use in the energy sector, which market participants said means BTX used for gasoline blending. This exemption last year allowed for some toluene and mixed xylene imports to arrive in the US without an import tax. In 2025, the US imported 529,000 metric tonnes (t) of benzene, 488,193t of mixed xylenes and 183,379t of toluene, according to US Census Bureau data compiled by Global Trade Tracker. By Jake Caldwell Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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South Korea approves Hyundai Chemical, Lotte merger


26/02/25
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26/02/25

South Korea approves Hyundai Chemical, Lotte merger

Singapore, 25 February (Argus) — South Korea's trade, industry and resource ministry (Motir) has approved chemical producers Hyundai Chemical and Lotte Chemical Daesan's restructuring plans along with a support package on 25 February. Hyundai Chemical and Lotte Chemical jointly applied to merge their plants in November 2025 . Hyundai Chemical is a joint venture between Hyundai Oilbank and Lotte Chemical. This is the first project approved under South Korea's government-led rationalisation efforts across the Daesan, Ulsan and Yeosu petrochemical complexes. These efforts were in response to the industry's prolonged losses since 2021, driven by rapid capacity expansions, particularly in China. Under the approved plans, Lotte Chemical will merge its Daesan petrochemical plant with Hyundai Chemical, integrating the naphtha cracking centre (NCC) and downstream units. Parent companies Lotte Chemical and Hyundai Oilbank will invest 600bn Korean won ($420mn) each and will share equal ownership of the newly integrated corporation. The restructuring is expected to take three years, during which Lotte Chemical will suspend its 1.1mn t/yr ethylene cracker in Daesan, and reduce operations of low-profit downstream facilities to curb oversupply in the Daesan petrochemical complex. The newly integrated corporation aims to focus on producing higher value-added and eco-friendly products instead of general-purpose products, Motir said. The South Korean government will also provide a customised support package worth W2.1 trillion, which will include financial, taxation, regulatory, cost structure improvement, employment, and technology development assistance for the firms' restructuring implementation. But the specific financial measures are to be finalised by the Korean Development Bank after consultations with institutional creditors. Other key producers including YNCC, GS Caltex, LG Chem, S-Oil, SKGC, and KPIC also submitted their business restructuring proposals in December 2025, and are under government review. The submitted plans would meet the collective target to reduce the nation's naphtha cracking capacity by 2.7mn-3.7mn t, according to the ministry. But revisions to the plans have been requested, and finalised drafts for restructuring plans for the Yeosu and Ulsan petrochemical complexes are expected by the end of the first quarter of 2026, said market sources close to South Korean cracker operators. By Angie Liew Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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European biochemicals projects stall


26/02/24
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26/02/24

European biochemicals projects stall

London, 24 February (Argus) — Growth in European bio-attributed chemical projects has stalled, with projects being pushed back or moved because of cost pressures and weak demand. Various companies planned projects to produce bio-attributed chemicals in Europe, with many originally scheduled to come online before 2028. Current Argus tracking indicate many of these are now likely to come online in 2029-30. Weak demand, cost pressures and, at times, a lack of feedstock are all behind decisions to delay or move projects. The Moller Holding-owned chemical start-up Vioneo is "pulling out" of Europe, and shifting its planned 300,000 t/yr methanol-to-polymers plant to China to enable "a faster route to market", it said in January. The company initially planned to bring a plant online in 2028 in Antwerp, Belgium. Production is now likely to take place in China in 2029-30, with capacity unchanged, the company said. The firm's priority is to bring "fossil-free plastics to market as quickly as possible", and moving to China will allow it to be more competitive on pricing, it said. Bioethylene company Syclus had intended to start production in 2026, with 100,000 t/yr planned for a site in Geleen, the Netherlands. This is now more likely to be completed in 2030. Futerro, which is planning a polylactic acid (PLA) plant in Port Jerome, France, will aim for production at its site to start "no later than 2029", it said, after initial attempts to commercialise by 2027 . The plant will have the capacity to produce up to 75,000 t/yr of PLA derived from plant starches. Blue Circle Olefins aims to bring a 200,000 t/yt methanol-to-olefins (MTO) site in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, online in 2030 . The site will aim to use "sustainable" methanol as a feedstock, and the company signed a long-term offtake agreement with Dutch polypropylene producer Ducor Petrochemicals in November 2025. Finnish forestry group UPM aims to produce bio-monoethylene glycol (bio-MEG), bio-monopropylene glycol (bio-MPG) and industrial sugars at its site in Leuna, Germany, this year . It expects to enter the commercial market with products from Leuna in the first half, with total capacity at the site being 220,000 t/yr of biochemicals. Sustainability has fallen down the list of priorities for some large packaging companies, with cost pressure persisting, particularly in Europe. This week, chemical producer LyondellBasell cut its 2030 target for producing and marketing recycled and renewable-based polymers to 800,000 t/yr from 2mn t/yr. Demand for sustainable plastics anticipated to follow pledges made by some packaged goods companies in 2019-20 has not come to pass , putting pressure on sustainable plastic production. Europe is at a structural disadvantage for fossil-based chemicals, compared with other producing regions with cheaper energy prices and feedstocks, and the story is similar for biochemical demand. A European Bioeconomy Strategy, launched at the end of 2025 , aims to support the use of bio-based plastics and novel materials by 2027 alongside recycling. Currently operational projects for bio-attributed chemicals and bio-attributed plastics total over 1.5mn t/yr of capacity, compared with planned projects in Europe totalling 741,000 t/yr by 2030, Argus projections show as tracked in the Biochemicals and bioplastics project tracker. Regulatory support will be key for projects to succeed, along with factors including proximity to feedstock. Sustainable methanol and ethanol feedstock projects require access to a steady supply of feedstock to compete with fossil-fuel-based projects. "The European bio-plastics industry faces similar hurdles to other European industries — trade hurdles, investment hurdles, competition with other regions in the world," the EU Policy Affairs manager from the European Bioplastics industry working group said in November 2025. "We developed a lot of the bioplastics technology in Europe but the industrialisation can often take place outside of Europe because of lower energy costs and investment opportunities." By George Barsted Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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ET Fuels secures bunkering buyer for Texas e-methanol


26/02/24
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26/02/24

ET Fuels secures bunkering buyer for Texas e-methanol

Paris, 24 February (Argus) — Irish project developer ET Fuels signed a binding long-term offtake agreement to supply e-methanol "at a fixed price" to UK-based shipping company RFOcean from 2030. The supply will come from ET Fuels' most advanced project in the US, the Rattlesnake Gap plant in Texas that will produce 120,000 t/yr of e-methanol. Neither company disclosed the amount involved, but ET Fuels said it will "still have volumes to sell for any other early movers." The agreement with RFOcean has given ET Fuels "a clear path" to raise the financing it needs to move forward with Rattlesnake Gap, chief executive Lara Naqushbandi told Argus . The EU's FuelEU Maritime regulation requiring shipping companies to gradually reduce the carbon intensity of bunker fuels was the main driver behind the deal, said RFOcean chief executive Fredrik Rye-Florentz. "Compliant fuel will be scarce," he said. "By locking in supply now at fixed prices, we can offer our customers certainty" of fuel supply that meets requirements under FuelEU Maritime. This is RFOcean's first e-fuel procurement agreement. The multiplier applied for use of non-carbon fuels from 2030-34 gives "a big incentive" to shipping companies to secure e-fuels, Rye-Florentz said. Naqushbandi said the offtake agreement "sends a clear message to policymakers: stable regulations unlock investment. "Any weakening of the EU's green fuel standards would undermine momentum at exactly the wrong time," she said. Rattlesnake Gap is in an advanced initial engineering design phase. ET Fuels aims to start construction by 2027 and production by 2030, to meet the timeline requirements to benefit from four different types of tax credits in US. It is planning other similar projects in the US and Europe. The company recently secured €118.6mn ($140mn) in tax credits from Business Finland for a 100,000 t/yr e-methanol project being developed in partnership with state-owned energy company Neova. Finland is one of Europe's "most attractive jurisdictions" for production of renewable hydrogen and derivatives because of "abundant renewable and biogenic CO2 resources, streamlined permitting, and stable policy frameworks," ET Fuels said. By Pamela Machado Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.