Surge in US plastic scrap exports

United States – Compared to January-September 2013, US exports of plastics scrap climbed 17% to more than 1.6 million tonnes in the opening nine months of this year, carrying a total value of US$ 711 million. And the year-on-year gain in the third quarter was even higher than the average at 21% for a total of 564 000 tonnes.

There was an 11% jump in demand from China while the increase in US shipments to Hong Kong was 33%. Purchases of US plastics scrap were also higher in Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand whereas deliveries to India and Malaysia suffered a decline in the first three quarters of the current year.

By polymer, overseas demand for US supplies of PET, polymers of vinyl chloride and polymers of ethylene recorded significant gains of, respectively, 37%, 30% and 20%.