Regulation accelerates. The market is still hesitating.
- The first half of August did not bring a single clear direction for the European plastics and recycling market.
- Upstream costs came under renewed pressure, demand remained uneven, and recyclers continued to compete with attractively priced virgin material. At the same time, Europe's regulatory framework moved quickly: the PPWR became applicable, while the EU introduced new trade measures affecting the PET value chain.