Europe’s new €800/tonne levy on waste plastic packaging will force chemical supply chains to take recycling more seriously and could drive product substitution.

- What we know and don’t know about the €800/tonne EU levy on plastic packaging waste

- Tax could lead to polymer substitution away from polymers which are less easy to recycle, or to other materials

- The levy could accelerate adoption of recycling technology and infrastructure

- But huge challenges as recycled polymer sector not yet developed enough

- Polymer and carbon taxes will act as a “short, sharp shock” for chemical companies and supply chain

- Move to local, sustainable production will accelerate

- Oil prices propped up by China and India building reserves which are now full

- China may switch from being the world’s largest net importer of polypropylene (PP) to net exporter by 2022

- Global PP moving towards “perfect storm” of over-capacity amid structural changes to demand

- PP producers must focus on sustainability, affordability, local supply chains

Interview with Paul Hodges, chairman of International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant Asia; Mark Victory, ICIS senior recycling editor and Helen McGeough ICIS senior analyst, plastics recycling.

LONDON (ICIS)--European methanol demand remains lacklustre across a number of downstream markets however there has been increased consumption in gasoline blending applications such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and biodiesel.

European editors Eashani Chavda and Nazif Nazmul discuss the relationship between these markets and progress of demand recovery since the pandemic spread in Europe over Q2.

LONDON (ICIS)--European methanol demand remains lacklustre across a number of downstream markets however there has been increased consumption in gasoline blending applications such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and biodiesel.

European editors Eashani Chavda and Nazif Nazmul discuss the relationship between these markets and progress of demand recovery since the pandemic spread in Europe over Q2.

China’s new plan to accelerate a huge investment in Iran’s energy and petrochemicals shows how geo-politics is now driving petrochemical investments rather than economics.

- China to accelerate investment of up to $230bn in energy and chemicals investments in Iran

- Deteriorating US-China relations driving a new Cold War

- Iran has huge resources and potential for chemicals

- Iran could become major exporter of chemicals to China and Asia at expense of US

- Iran is already ramping up exports of methanol to China

- Geo-politics is now driving petrochemcials

- Conflicting signals on downstream chemicals demand for July and August

- China – worst floods in decades jeopardise economic recovery

- Chemical industry needs to react to structural changes in automotive, aviation, energy industries

- Focus on sustainability and affordability

- Sell solutions, not just products

Listen to this podcast interview with Paul Hodges, chairman of consultancy International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant, Asia and ICIS Insight editor Nigel Davis.

Podcast interview by Will Beacham

China’s new plan to accelerate a huge investment in Iran’s energy and petrochemicals shows how geo-politics is now driving petrochemical investments rather than economics.

- China to accelerate investment of up to $230bn in energy and chemicals investments in Iran

- Deteriorating US-China relations driving a new Cold War

- Iran has huge resources and potential for chemicals

- Iran could become major exporter of chemicals to China and Asia at expense of US

- Iran is already ramping up exports of methanol to China

- Geo-politics is now driving petrochemcials

- Conflicting signals on downstream chemicals demand for July and August

- China – worst floods in decades jeopardise economic recovery

- Chemical industry needs to react to structural changes in automotive, aviation, energy industries

- Focus on sustainability and affordability

- Sell solutions, not just products

Listen to this podcast interview with Paul Hodges, chairman of consultancy International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant, Asia and ICIS Insight editor Nigel Davis.

Podcast interview by Will Beacham

Fertilizers Senior Editor Mark Milam discusses the recent July World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) which revealed expectations of lower corn supply and ending stocks in part to less acreage being sowed this spring.