LONDON (ICIS)–Yearly average Europe recycled high density polyethylene (R-HDPE) pipe-grade black pellet prices in 2024 to date are at their lowest level since 2020. 2024 prices to date are the second-lowest yearly average price on record, behind 2020. These prices are a result of the cost-of-living crisis muting construction demand and driving oversupply across the market over the past 18 months. The yearly average price in 2023 was just €50/tonne above its current level. Yearly average pipe-grade black pellet price Year Average price (€/tonne) 2019 (price series began in May) 843 2020 696 2021 1,009 2022 1,267 2023 850 2024 (to date) 800 Producers of pipe-grade black pellets have been complaining of squeezed margins since early 2023, something which is borne out by examining average prices. The yearly average spread between mixed-coloured bale feedstock values (see bale section) and pipe-grade pellets is also at its lowest since 2020, and its second lowest on record. Yearly average spread mixed-coloured bale vs pipe-grade black pellet Year Average spread (€/tonne) 2019 (price series began in May) 537 2020 524 2021 597 2022 717 2023 543 2024 (to date) 533 Nevertheless, this doesn’t show the full picture since energy and labour costs remain considerably higher than they were in 2020 due to inflationary pressures. Coupled with this, the above chart does not factor in wastage rates, which are at least 25% and often higher. What this means is that at a 25% wastage rate, you’d need to input 1.25 tonnes of feedstock waste – increasing the cost base. Adjusting the spreads to account for a 25% wastage rate shows that the average spread in both 2023 and 2024 to date were identical, and that both are the lowest seen since 2019. Yearly average spread mixed-coloured bale vs pipe-grade black pellet (adjusted at 25% wastage rate) Year Average adjusted spread (€/tonne) 2019 (price series began in May) 460 2020 481 2021 494 2022 579.5 2023 466.25 2024 (to date) 466.25 Market players are becoming increasingly concerned over the demand outlook beyond Q2, due to a combination of mounting substitution pressure from virgin (particularly for non-packaging grades) and the approach of the summer lull. Substitution pressure from virgin and off-spec material is likely to disproportionately impact on non-packaging grades, which typically purchase recycled material for cost-saving reasons. Seasonal factors typically mean that pipe-grade pellet prices are typically stronger in the first half of the year than the second, with June representing the last month when prices are typically above the yearly average. This is both due to construction activity typically being more limited in winter months when temperatures are colder, and the impact of typical convertor summer shutdowns for routine maintenance in July/August, followed by destocking in Q4 to lower working capital on year-end balance sheets. During July and August, downstream convertors typically shut for several weeks of routine maintenance. Typically southern Europe shuts earlier thannorthern Europe, with the majority of northern Europe shutdowns occurring in August. There has been repeated talk in the past few weeks of German convertors shutting as early as late-June this year due to negative macroeconomic conditions in the country. This price trend can be seen in the Seasonality Index chart below. The seasonality index shows which months in the year prices are typically higher than average, and which months they are typically lower than average, and to what extent. It reveals underlying trading patterns in markets beyond short-term supply/demand conditions. The average price is represented by 1.00. When the index is below 1.00 it means that prices are typically below average in that month, and when above 1.00 it means prices are typically above average in that month, with the distance from 1.00 showing the extent. It is calculated by first dividing each monthly price by the average price for that year to give an index value. Then, all of those monthly index values are averaged to give a single value for each month. Those averaged monthly values are used to plot the seasonality index. The longer a price series has been running, the more accurate the seasonality index. ICIS began pricing R-HDPE bales in May 2019. Focus article by Mark Victory
07-Jun-2024
SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Petrochemicals producers in the production hub of Altamira, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, keep declaring force majeure as a severe drought halved water supplies to industrial players. On Thursday, a spokesperson for Cabot said to ICIS the company has also declared force majeure for carbon black from its Altamira facilities, which adds to several force majeure declarations in the past two weeks. The drought affecting Tamaulipas has its epicenter in the south of the state, where Altamira is located, and recent minimal rainfall has not helped much to fill up the state’s water reservoirs. The drought, which the state government says has lasted already eight years, has reached a critical point in 2024, prompting authorities to arrange water deliveries in tanker trucks from other state municipalities as well as other Mexican states. The crisis could end up hitting US petrochemicals, as the state is a key supplier to that market. Earlier this week, M&G Polimeros declared force majeure on one of its two polyethylene terephthalate (PET) lines from Altamira. The line has a production capacity of 420,000 tonnes/year, which has prompted fears the US’ PET supply could be hit. PETROCHEMICALS HIT HARDCabot’s force majeure from Altamira on carbon black – a material used as a colorant and reinforcingfillerintiresand other rubber products, as well as a pigment and wear protection additive in plastics and paints – follows a string of declarations from other producers. “Over the past weeks, the water supply to our Altamira plant has deteriorated in both quantity and quality. Consequently, our plant is currently unable to operate all production units and is running limited production, along with warehouse, packing, and shipping operations,” Cabot’s spokesperson said. “Due to this situation beyond our control, Cabot has declared a force majeure for carbon black from this facility.” Apart from M&G Polimeros’ force majeure on PET, several other producers in Altamira have also issued force majeure declarations or have sharply reduced operating rates. Mexico’s chemicals producer Orbia/Vestolit, a large polyvinyl chloride (PVC) player, was one of the first companies to declare a force majeures out of its facilities in Altamira in mid-May. This week, a spokesperson for the company said to ICIS the force majeure remained in place, with no expected date for return to operations as the water situation has not improved, rather the opposite. Saudi petrochemicals major SABIC declared force majeure on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). European major INEOS Styrolution also declared force majeure on ABS from Altamira, as well as on general purpose polystyrene (GPPS). US chemicals producer Chemours also declared force majeure on titanium dioxide (TiO2) out of Altamira. Germany’s major BASF, also with facilities in Altamira, had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing. Trade group the Association of Industrial Companies of Southern Tamaulipas (AISTAC), which represents many of the producers listed above, had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing. WATER TANKERS, DRY LAGOONSThe governor of Tamaulipas, Americo Villarreal, ordered this week to send tanker trucks to the south of the state from other municipalities not affected as harshly by the drought, as well as from other Mexican states. The trucks will not sort out the dire situation at industrial parks, however, as the water will be deployed to households, which are also suffering water restrictions. “With the arrival of these units, support to the southern area of Tamaulipas is reinforced, adding to those that the Secretariat [agency for hydraulic resources] had previously sent, as well as those that have arrived from other entities, with 50 units distributing water,” said the state’s government. “[This] coupled with the installation of 25 isotanks with a capacity of 24,000 liters in strategic points, sent previously by the agency.” As if it was not enough for tamaulipecos to suffer water restrictions in their own homes, natural spaces they hold dear are also showing the scars of more severe droughts as climate change advances unabated. This week, local media reported how Champayan lagoon, a large water natural reservoir west of Altamira, dried up practically from one day to the other. Front page picture: Tanker trucks heading to the Altamira area for emergency water supplies for households Source: Government of Tamaulipas
06-Jun-2024
LONDON (ICIS)–Jumping freight rates, political elections and monsoons are all at play for June in various polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) markets around the world, so while it is potentially a calm month on the surface, there is a complex mix of factors to watch. Senior editors for PE and PP, Nadim Salamoun and Ben Lake join senior editor manager Vicky Ellis to discuss the June outlook for Europe, Middle East, south Asia and Africa. They also touch on May as a busy month for PE and PP, pointing listeners to ICIS coverage at APIC in Seoul and Italy’s plastic tax extension. Podcast edited by Nick Cleeve
06-Jun-2024
LONDON (ICIS)–Senior Editor for Recycling, Matt Tudball, discusses the latest developments in the European recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) market, including: June stability welcomed across market Some sectors still seemingly bullish Demand views on food-grade pellet vary
06-Jun-2024
SAO PAULO (ICIS)–Braskem’s operations at Triunfo in floods-hit state of Rio Grande do Sul are still yet fully normalized, despite the plant having restarted more than two weeks ago, a spokesperson said to ICIS on Wednesday. The company expects operations to return to normal “in coming days”, the spokesperson added, without providing more details about exact timelines. Braskem’s facilities at the Triunfo petrochemicals hub, near the state’s largest city of Porto Alegre, are a key production hub for Brazilian polymers, but transport to and from the facilities was heavily disrupted by the historic floods. That made access for employees and inputs almost impossible for the most of May. “If weather conditions and access to the complex remain stable, the units are expected to be operational as planned in the coming days. Access to the Triunfo complex by road has already been cleared,” said Braskem’s spokesperson. “Employees are mostly using buses and minibuses contracted by the company to access the complex. Trucks are also circulating on the roads, gradually regularizing logistics operations.” For Braskem’s capacities at Triunfo, see bottom section. LONG ROAD TO NORMALITY At the peak of the crisis, which began on 29 April, around 90% of industrial facilities in Rio Grande do Sul were shut because of the floods, according to local authorities. The state is an industrial and agricultural powerhouse within Brazil and shutdowns there had a knock-on effect on other industrial sectors. Automotive majors Volkswagen and Stellantis, for instance, were forced to shut or reduce operating rates at some of their facilities in Brazil and Argentina, which depended on automotive parts suppliers in Rio Grande do Sul. Both companies confirmed to ICIS this week that they are returning to operations, although Stellantis’s plant in Goiana, in the state of Pernambuco, is still operating at reduced rates. Earlier this week the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed activity in May had greatly been impacted by the floods aftermath. Moreover, this week Brazil’s statistics office IBGE said GDP in the first quarter had registered healthy growth of 0.8%, quarter on quarter, but analysts have said economic output may sharply slowdown in the second quarter because of the impact of the floods. Meanwhile, while road transport may be slowly normalizing, one of the state’s three main ports – Porto Alegre – remains shut to operations, Portos RS, the ports authority in Rio Grande do Sul, said on Wednesday morning. The Port of Pelotas was shut until mid-May, while the Port of Rio Grande was never affected by the floods. The destruction caused by Brazil’s worst flooding in history will take many months, years perhaps, to return to normal operations. The Federal government has announced credit lines with generous financing terms, but industrial groups in the state have said they are insufficient. Analysts have pointed out that the fertilizers markets may be hit by the roads as planting in Rio Grande do Sul’s important agricultural sector will be affected. According to the emergency services in the state, more than 35,000 people are still taking refuge in shelters, while nearly 600,000 remain displaced from their homes. In the state, with a population of 12 million, nearly 2.4 million people have been affected by the floods, which left 172 dead and 44 people unaccounted for. TRIUNFO KEY FOR PLASTICS Braskem is Brazil’s sole manufacturer of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), the most widely used polymers. Its market share in 2023 for PE stood at 56% and for PP at 70%, according to figures from the ICIS Supply & Demand Database. The Triunfo complex, meanwhile, is key for the country’s polymers supply chain, accounting for nearly 37% of Brazil’s PP capacity and 40% of PE capacity. Brazil’s total PP production capacity is nearly 2 million tonnes/year. PE capacity is about 3 million tonnes/year, with 41% being high-density polyethylene (HDPE), 33% being linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and 26% being low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Braskem’s Triunfo complex can produce 740,000 tonnes/year of PP, 550,000 tonnes/year of HDPE, 385,000 tonnes/year of LDPE and 300,000 tonnes/year of LLDPE. Front page picture: Braskem's facilities in Triunfo Source: Braskem Additional information by Bruno Menini
05-Jun-2024
LONDON (ICIS)–The postponement of Italy’s plastic packaging tax to July 2026 shows that, for many brands and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, the threat of financial penalties or the push of regulatory obligation is still the main driver for increasing the use of recycled plastics in packaging. Italy has extended the rollout of its €450/tonne plastic packaging tax until July 2026, marking the seventh postponement of the tax which was due to come into effect in July this year. ICIS asked participants across several polymer markets what this means for both the virgin and recycled sectors, and the responses overwhelmingly point to the fact that, without heavy financial penalties or a legal requirement under either state or EU law, many companies will currently opt for cost savings over sustainability. DELAYING RECYCLED DEMANDThe tax would add €450/tonne to the price of virgin plastic in Italy, but the postponement led many sources to expect companies that were considering increasing the use of recycled plastics to stick with virgin material for now. In the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) market, those companies that were following the development of the legislation will now continue to use PET rather than switch to recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET), according to one beverage brand. This view was echoed by others, with a converter serving the market stating companies will stay with virgin polymer for the next two years without the financial incentive to move to more recycled content. One virgin polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) producer now sees less pressure to both a circular economy solution as well as investment in the recycling sector. Other comments from market sources reiterated the fact that, without this tax in place, the businesses in or serving the Italian market have lost their incentive to move to higher recycled content levels, especially at a time when prices for recycled material such as R-PET and recycled polystyrene (PS) are commanding a significant premium over their virgin counterparts IMPACTING INVESTMENTAnother common thread running through the reactions to the delay was the impact it could have on investment in certain recycled sectors. One virgin PS source said it expected a slowdown in the development of recycled PS, highlighting the current gap between higher-priced recycled PS and virgin PS preventing companies from exploring the recycled market more. Adding €450/tonne to the price of the virgin material is a substantial step to disincentivize the use of PS and drive people towards recycled PS. A second PS market participant said countries need a mechanism like a tax to promote recycled content and the absence of such a driver will make investment in recycled PS harder. From the brand side, a large FMCG said having the tax in place would help incentivize its customers to use more recycled content, but for the time being it would have to rely on its own and its customers’ sustainability targets – those that have them – to continue to support the argument for the use of recyclate. WIDER RECYCLING ISSUESWhile the delay of the tax only impacts the Italian market, it points to a wider issue seen across both European and global markets when it comes to increasing recycled material usage. Without the financial incentive of something like a tax, or without the legal obligation of a regulation, directive or law, many companies right now will choose margins over sustainability especially in a challenging macroeconomic climate. A good example is the upcoming implementation of the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), which among other things, mandates the use of 25% R-PET in PET beverage bottles from 1 January 2025. Many R-PET market participants have yet to see demand for R-PET reach the levels expected ahead of implementation. The issue is linked to the lack of clarity around how the SUPD will work; how the 25% will be measured – by individual unit or country-wide incorporation – who will be checking the percentage of R-PET in the bottles and what the penalties will be for those who miss the target. Some R-PET sources think some brands may simply declare they are using R-PET when they are not because they do not expect they will be audited, or others may simply ignore the Directive because of a lack of enforcement. It was a similar situation with the Spanish €450/tonne plastic packaging tax in January 2023. R-PET sources saw no impact on demand last year – though that may have been caused by the wider cost-of-living crisis impacting consumer demand during 2023 – and it was only in May this year that the first Spanish company has reportedly been audited by Spanish authorities to ensure compliance. The UK is an interesting case study in the use of a tax to drive recycled plastic inclusion. In the financial year 2022-2023, Plastic Packaging Tax (PPR) receipts collected by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) totaled £276 million. Government data shows of the total plastic packaging manufactured in and imported into the UK, 39% was declared as taxable under the PPT, and of the remaining 61% declared, 40% contained 30% or more recycled plastic. While there was a good proportion of recycled plastic placed into packaging during the financial year, the £276 million collected shows that many companies paid the £200/tonne rather than pay more for recycled material. There are instances that show alternative approaches to taxation or regulation can have a positive impact on the recycling sector. In France, lower eco-modulation fees – a form of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – on the sorting of mixed plastic waste led to the creation of a recycling stream for low density polyethylene (LDPE) flexible materials and a growing market for recycled low density polyethylene (R-LDPE) bales and pellets, for example. Eco-modulation fees can also encourage the use of certain types of material but also disincentivize the use of others, as seen in the Czech Republic, where the eco-modulation fee for using clear PET bottles was lowered in 2021, while the fee for placing coloured PET bottles on the market – perceived to be harder to recycle than clear – was increased. The reaction to the Italian tax, the revenue generated by the UK tax and the seeming lack of urgency from some beverage brands ahead of the SUPD indicates that for many companies currently, increasing the use of recycled plastic is nowhere near the top of their list of priorities. While consumers focus on reducing the cost of living and companies focus on improving squeezed margins, investment in recycling and the drive to reducing virgin plastic consumption will most likely take a back seat for now. Additional reporting by Stephanie Wix, Caroline Murray, Ben Monroe-Lake, Carolina Perujo Holland and Mark Victory Insight article by Matt Tudball
03-Jun-2024
LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended Friday 31 May. Freight costs, chaos assures demand for Europe PTA, PET As shipping complexities intensify again, gone are the talks of weak demand holding back European sellers of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and downstream polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Europe May melamine contract decline spells end to eight-month rally Europe melamine May contract prices were assessed at double-digit decreases, the first drop this year. Europe R-PET market enters stable period, but Italy remains a question mark June price talks in Europe's recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) markets have concluded at rollovers in the majority of cases, bringing to an end an upward trend in prices seen since December. European PET import costs, delays still causing headaches; could support local demand in June European polyethylene terephthalate (PET) logistical challenges surrounding imported material are still apparent which could drive more local demand in Europe. DATA WATCH: Europe chemicals export more at beginning of 2024 but importing remains an option Trade flows of chemicals both into and out of Europe have changed significantly this year, with the ongoing Red Sea disruptions and the subsequent lack of vessel space across different parts of the world being a key factor.
03-Jun-2024
HOUSTON (ICIS)–Global rates for shipping containers continue to surge, liquid chemical tanker rates were flat to lower, and the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) is increasing the maximum allowable draft to transit the Neopanamax locks, all highlighting this week’s logistics roundup. CONTAINER RATES Global rates for shipping containers continue to surge, although the rate may be slowing. Global average rates from supply chain advisors Drewry rose by 4% this week, a slower pace from the double-digit increases over the previous two weeks. The following chart shows that average rates are approaching $4,250/FEU (40-foot equivalent unit). Rates from Asia to the US are also at new highs for the year, as shown in the following chart. Rates continue to be pressured higher because of unrest in the Middle East, specifically attacks on commercial vessels by Yemen-backed Houthi rebels. Houthis even claimed responsibility for an attack on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier stationed in the Red Sea. US and UK responded by sending fighter jets to strike Houthi targets in Yemen. Rates are likely to continue rising, according to ocean and freight rate analytics firm Xeneta. “The ocean freight container shipping market has seen rapid and dramatic increases during May and that is set to continue with further growth in spot rates,” Peter Sand, Xeneta chief analyst, said. “On 1 June, spot rates will reach a level we have not seen since 2022 when the COVID-19 pandemic was still wreaking chaos across ocean freight supply chains.” From the Asia-Pacific to US West Coast, market average spot rates are expected to reach $5,170/FEU on 1 June, which would surpass the Red Sea crisis peak of $4,820/FEU seen on 1 February, Xeneta said. This is an increase of 57% during May and the highest spot rates have been on this trade for 640 days. From the Asia-Pacific to US East Coast, spot rates are expected to reach $6,250/FEU on 1 June, only slightly shy of the Red Sea crisis peak of $6,260/FEU and an increase of 50% since 29 April. Container ships and costs for shipping containers are relevant to the chemical industry because while most chemicals are liquids and are shipped in tankers, container ships transport polymers, such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), are shipped in pellets. They also transport liquid chemicals in isotanks. LIQUID TANKER RATES US chemical tanker freight rates assessed by ICIS were mostly unchanged. However, rates increased from Brazil to the US Gulf (USG) and fell slightly from the USG to Asia and from the USG to Brazil. From the USG to Brazil, there continues to be plenty of contractual volumes for both caustic soda and monoethylene glycol (MEG). All the regulars are open and have a lot of tanks to fill. This route has experienced significant downward pressure due to market dynamics and because activity here has been limited. The USG to Brazil trade lane is expected to remain at a standstill which could add further pressure. From the USG to Asia, freight rates declined due to lack of interest. PORT OF BALTIMORE The Unified Command (UC) continues to clear wreckage from the bottom of the Patapsco river, projecting to fully restore the Fort McHenry Federal Channel to its original 700-foot width and 50-foot depth by 8-10 June. The UC cleared a 400-foot-wide swath of the federal channel on 20 May, permitting all pre-collapse, deep-draft commercial vessels to transit the port. Source: Maryland State Police Aviation Command PANAMA CANAL The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) is increasing the maximum allowable draft to transit the Neopanamax locks, effective immediately. The PCA said the arrival of the rainy season in the Canal watershed prompted the action. Wait times for non-booked southbound vessels ready for transit held steady this week for northbound traffic and fell for southbound vessels, according to the PCA vessel trackerand as shown in the following image. Wait times a week ago were 1.5 days for northbound vessels and 3.6 days for southbound vessels. Additional reporting by Kevin Callahan
31-May-2024
LONDON (ICIS)–Senior Editor for Recycling, Matt Tudball, discusses the latest developments in the European recycled polyethylene terephthalate (R-PET) market, including: June prices stable Italian bale prices rise in latest round of auctions Demand uneventful but some pockets of improvement
31-May-2024
SINGAPORE/SEOUL (ICIS)–Cracker operations in Japan will remain “challenging” this year amid soft demand while capacity expansion in China continues, according to the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association (JPCA). C2 output falls to record low in 2023 Production of five major plastics shrink by around 5% Capacity optimization among industry main tasks “With new cracker capacities being planned in China almost every year at a pace far exceeding demand, the operation rates of domestic crackers are expected to remain challenging,” said a JPCA report prepared for the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) being held in Seoul. The two-day conference ends on 31 May. In 2023, Japan’s ethylene (C2) production shrank 2.3% to a record low of 5.32 million tonnes, as domestic crackers ran below full capacity, JPCA data showed. “The operation rates of domestic crackers have remained below 90% (this rate is said to be the criterion for judging the economic situation) since August 2022 and the monthly operation rate dropped below 80% four times in 2023,” JPCA said. Japan, which was dislodged by Germany as the world’s third-biggest economy in 2023, is projected to post a 2024 GDP growth of around 1.3%, down from last year’s 1.9% pace. In Q1 2024, the economy shrank at an annualised rate of 2.0% as both consumption and capital spending weakened. For the whole of 2023, the country’s total production of five major plastics – namely, linear density polyethylene (PE), high density PE (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – declined by an average of 4.7% to 6.02 million tonnes. Japan production of major petrochemicals (in thousand tonnes) Product 2023 2022 % change Ethylene 5,324 5,449 -2.3 LDPE 1,223 1,347 -9.2 HDPE 661 714 -7.4 PP 2,075 2,120 -2.1 PS 564 654 -13.8 PVC 1,496 1,483 0.9 Styrene monomer (SM) 1,428 1,542 -7.4 Ethylene glycol (EG) 264 351 -24.8 Acrylonitrile (ACN) 341 422 -19.2 Sources: JPCA, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Styrene Industry Association (PS, SM) and Vinyl Environmental Council (PVC) Domestic demand as ethylene equivalent for the year declined by 11.9% to 3.87 million tonnes, according to JPCA data. “In 2024, there is a risk of a decline in demand due to the deterioration of the global economy, such as price hikes of raw commodities due to supply disruptions caused by several problems,” JPCA said, citing Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, and attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. “But a certain amount of demand growth is expected due to the resilience of the US and some developing countries’ economy, and the global economy would have a possibility to make a ‘soft landing’,” JPCA stated. Economists are growing more confident that the US – the world’s biggest economy – will be able to post a 2024 growth rate of 2.4%, easing from the actual GDP growth of 2.5% in 2023. China, although beset by a slumping property sector, should be able to post a 5.0% GDP growth, according to the revised forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In the report, JPCA also emphasized the petrochemical industry’s tasks to engage in “green” or environmental-friendly transformation toward carbon neutrality by 2050; to enhance and optimize excess production capacity amid a declining population; to push for digital transformation; and contribute to a recycling-oriented society. “In Japan, demonstration experiments using new process technologies and raw materials that contribute to green activities have begun, such as biomass-based fuel, bio-material-based olefins, ammonia synthesis, and hydrocarbon synthesis,” it said. Focus article by Pearl Bantillo
30-May-2024
