January fall in US plastic scrap exports

United States – A significant reduction in Chinese demand dented America’s plastics scrap exports in the opening month of the year, according to figures from the Census Bureau. In value terms, overseas shipments dipped 2% when compared to January 2013 to US$ 68.6 million.

A total of 161 017 tonnes of US plastic scrap was shipped overseas in January this year – equivalent to a drop of 3.2% from the same month in 2013. Deliveries to China were some 9% lower year on year at 80 679 tonnes while volumes dispatched to Hong Kong slumped 25% to 37 184 tonnes. On the upside, there was an increase in US tonnages shipped to a number of other destinations, including Canada, Indonesia and Vietnam.