PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2019

JUBILEE 27 PET planet Insider Vol. 20 May at the time of going to press. Informants reckon that MEG will fall by € 20 in May. So in May, MEG is expected to cost € 755 per tonne (forecast, uncon- firmed) and is likely to be considerably cheaper than in April. Asian PET price fall In Asia too, PET prices in May are following a downward trend. In China, paraxylene capacities have increased mas- sively, which is obviously having an effect on raw material prices in Asia. PET from China is cur- rently available for under US$ 1,000 per tonne but freight costs and customs tolls must be added to this. PET from Korea is slightly more expensive. Whether an import is worthwhile for European customers depends on how comfort- able they are with risk, especially as the PET price for European product has also fallen. No-one can yet tell how prices will change in future. Recyclate demand increases It remains to be seen whether the negative dis- cussion about plastic is already having an effect on the PET market. However, the demand for recycled product has risen sharply in recent weeks so that prices, in particular for regranulate, have also risen sharply. From 2025, all PET bottles in the EU must be made from at least 25% recycled material. It stands to reason that various drinks manufactur- ers are bringing forward this switchover in the course of climate discussions and this is having an effect on demand. One prob- lem is the availability of used PET bottles, which are still not available in sufficient quantities. www.petpla.net