Page 38 - Plastics News February 2022

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

PET Recycling Improving In EU PET Resin Makers

Asks ITC To Revoke
Orders

he International Trade Commission
Tshould revoke the antidumping
and countervailing duty orders on
polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
resin from Canada, China, India and
Oman due to the U.S. industry already
running at full capacity and undertaking
market distorting practices, PET
resin consumers will tell the ITC
during a sunset review of the orders.
The PET resin consumers, including
members of the International Bottled
Water Association (IBWA), note the
he European PET market is making in the quantity and quality of PET inflationary effect the AD/CVD orders
Tprogress toward a circular industry collection and sorting, recyclers’ yields on PET resin have on their prices
but needs to improve collection rates, could increase from an average of 71% and mark the orders as one of the
according to a new report. A study of input in 2020 to 80% by 2030, or 3.0 factors contributing to unsustainable
of 2020 collection, recycling capacity million tons of RPET. Some remaining price hikes amid shortages in one of
and production showed that all three challenges are despite the increase in bottled water's essential inputs. Earlier
increased, with PET recycling capacity recycling capacity, it will need to increase ITC said that The Commission hereby
alone increasing 21% since 2018, to by at least another third by 2029 to meet gives notice that it has instituted
2.8 million metric tons (all tons below the 90% collection rate and the EU’s reviews pursuant to the Tariff Act
are metric).“The significant increase in mandatory-recycled-content targets. of 1930 (“the Act”), as amended,
to determine whether revocation of
PET collection and recycling sends a The demand for food-grade RPET for
positive signal to the market and will bottle production “exceeds supply and
boost confidence in further accelerating there will need to be an expansion in
PET’s circularity,” the report said.The both recycling capacity of this grade and
study, the “PET Market In Europe: State supply of sorted bottles of sufficient
Of Play 2022,” included the 27 European quality to feed this capacity,” the report
Union (EU) member states plus the U.K., found, and tray recycling capacity will
Norway and Switzerland. It was put out by also need to substantially expand. And
Natural Mineral Waters Europe, Plastics of the estimated 4.6 million tons of PET
Recyclers Europe, UNESDA Soft Drinks rigid packaging available for collection in
Europe and Petcore Europe.The report 2020, only about 49% of it was recycled,
said net demand for PET in Europe was including 61% of bottles and 21% of the countervailing duty orders on
estimated at 5.1 million tons in 2020, of thermoforms. Quality of the collected polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”)
resin from China and India and the
which 3 million tons was virgin PET, 1.3 PET also varied “significantly” between antidumping duty orders on PET resin
million tons RPET and 0.8 million tons member states, the report found, and from Canada, China, India, and Oman
from imports (not specified whether “further improvements in design for would be likely to lead to continuation
virgin or recycled). In 2020, 2.4 million recyclability practices are likely to be or recurrence of material injury.
tons of PET was recycled, which was needed.” The report also called for more Pursuant to the Act, interested parties
turned into 1.7 million tons of flake. The robust data sources, innovation and are requested to respond to this notice
report estimated that with improvements support from policymakers. by submitting the information specified
below to the Commission.

38 PLASTICS NEWS FEBRUARY 2022