S&P Global Commodity Insights Launches Platts Mixed Plastic Waste Price Assessments for US and Europe

Rhea-AI Summary

S&P Global Commodity Insights has launched the first-in-market independent price assessments for mixed plastic waste in the United States and Europe through its Platts division. The announcement, made on March 12, 2025, coincides with the 40th anniversary of the World Petrochemical Conference.

The assessments will track process-ready mixed plastic waste prices, focusing on materials used in chemical recycling. According to S&P Global analysts, pyrolysis represents about 70% of the 230 chemical recycling projects they monitor. The company projects that US pyrolysis-based recycling capacity could exceed 600,000 mt/year by 2027, while Europe is expected to add 4-5 new pyrolysis units to its existing two plants.

The new price assessments will be expressed as delivered duty paid (DDP) in both US dollars and cents for the US market, and in US dollars and Euros for the European market. These assessments aim to bring transparency to the recycling value chain and potentially stimulate investments in recycling technologies.

Positive

• First-mover advantage in US market for mixed plastic waste price assessments
• Expansion of service offerings in growing chemical recycling market
• Strategic positioning in sustainability and circular economy sectors

Negative

• None.

The First in Market in the US Independent Price Assessments Bring Transparency and Aid Circular Economy

HOUSTON and NEW YORK and LONDON, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- First in market in the US, independent price assessments of mixed plastic waste were announced on March 12 for the United States and Europe by Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, the leading independent provider of information, data, analysis, benchmark prices and workflow solutions for the metals, commodities, chemicals, energy and energy transition markets. The announcement coincides with the 40^th anniversary of the World Petrochemical Conference by S&P Global.

Analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights believe that mixed plastic waste, mainly polyolefins, will play a significant role in chemical recycling as the global energy transition progresses, offering advantages over mechanical recycling. Traditional mechanical recycling continues to face challenges of mixed and/or contaminated plastics that frequently results in these materials being sent to landfills or incinerated, releasing harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases. Conversely, chemical recycling can decompose complex waste streams into their basic components, enabling greater recycling of plastics that would otherwise be discarded.

Olivier Maronneaud, Global Research Lead for Methanol and Plastic Circularity, S&P Global Commodity Insights, said, "Pyrolysis plants focus on polyolefin waste feedstocks, and this feedstock accounts for the lion's share of all chemical recycling projects. Among the 230 projects we track, pyrolysis represents approximately 70% of them. Currently, these units are relatively limited in scale, but companies are looking to increase the capacity of plastic waste they can recycle to 50,000 to 100,000 metric ton per year or more. The introduction of Platts mixed plastic waste assessments will provide market participants with comprehensive pricing information in their continued path towards plastics circularity."

Heng Hui, Platts Global Sustainable Pricing Lead, S&P Global Commodity Insights said, "We are pleased to announce the launch of this new suite of Platts Mixed Plastic Waste price assessments, providing the first-ever assessment for the US and crucial coverage of Europe assessments. As chemical recycling technologies rapidly evolve and industry demand continues to grow, our inaugural assessments will bring greater transparency across the broader recycling value chain and may have the added benefit of better incentivizing investments in recycling technologies and processes."

S&P Global Commodity Insights estimates that in Europe, another 4 to 5 pyrolysis units will be built in the next couple of years on top of the two new plants currently in operation while in the United States, that US pyrolysis-based recycling capacity could reach over 600,000 mt/year by 2027.

The two new Platts mixed plastic waste price assessments will reflect the prevailing market value of sorted, washed and shredded mixed plastic waste at advanced recycling facilities, conforming to composition specifications, as outlined here for the US and Northwest Europe. They will be expressed as delivered duty paid (DDP) in US dollars and cents for the US, and DDP in US dollars and Euros for Europe:

• Platts Process-ready Mixed Plastic Waste Bale DDP US $/mt
• Platts Process-ready Mixed Plastic Waste Bale DDP US cents/lb
• Platts Process-ready Mixed Plastic Waste Bale DDP NWE $/mt
• Platts Process-ready Mixed Plastic Waste Bale DDP NWE Eur/mt

Additional details of the assessments may be found in the methodology and specifications guidelines, as well as the subscriber note for UK and US. The prices will be available via products and services of S&P Global Commodity Insights. For more on petrochemicals, visit: https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/commodities/petrochemicals 

S&P Global Platts has been covering the petrochemicals markets for nearly 40 years and has an extended suite of aromatics and olefins price assessments regionally and globally.

Media Contacts:  
Americas/ EMEA: Kathleen Tanzy + 1 917-331-4607, kathleen.tanzy@spglobal.com 
Asia/ EMEA: Melissa Tan + 65-6597-6241, melissa.tan@spglobal.com   

About S&P Global Commodity Insights 
At S&P Global Commodity Insights, our complete view of global energy and commodity markets enables our customers to make decisions with conviction and create long-term, sustainable value.  

We're a trusted connector that brings together thought leaders, market participants, governments, and regulators and we create solutions that lead to progress. Vital to navigating commodity markets, our coverage includes oil and gas, power, chemicals, metals, agriculture, shipping and energy transition. Platts^® products and services, including leading benchmark price assessments in the physical commodity markets, are offered through S&P Global Commodity Insights. S&P Global Commodity Insights maintains clear structural and operational separation between its price assessment activities and the other activities carried out by S&P Global Commodity Insights and the other business divisions of S&P Global.   

S&P Global Commodity Insights is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets. With every one of our offerings, we help many of the world's leading organizations navigate the economic landscape so they can plan for tomorrow, today. For more information visit https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en. 

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SOURCE S&P Global Commodity Insights

FAQ

What are the new price assessments launched by S&P Global Commodity Insights (SPGI) for plastic waste?

SPGI launched first-in-market independent price assessments for mixed plastic waste in the US and Europe, tracking process-ready mixed plastic waste prices in DDP terms, expressed in USD/cents for US and USD/EUR for Europe.

How many pyrolysis projects is S&P Global (SPGI) currently tracking in the chemical recycling sector?

SPGI is tracking 230 chemical recycling projects, with pyrolysis representing approximately 70% of these projects.

What is the projected pyrolysis-based recycling capacity in the US by 2027 according to SPGI?

According to SPGI estimates, US pyrolysis-based recycling capacity could reach over 600,000 metric tons per year by 2027.

How many new pyrolysis units are expected to be built in Europe according to SPGI's analysis?

SPGI estimates that 4-5 new pyrolysis units will be built in Europe in the next couple of years, adding to the two plants currently in operation.