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Impacts of Middle East conflict could reshape Europe recycled plastics market

While there has been no direct impact from the Middle East conflict on Europe recycled polymer prices to date, the secondary impacts from price movements in related markets and underlying costs could prove powerful market disruptors.

Key factors to watch include:

- Potentially higher virgin and off-spec polymer prices

- Higher energy costs in Europe

- Logistics disruption

- Impact on consumer demand

Higher virgin prices

Multiple recyclers and converters have stressed that the real impact of the US-Israel war with Iran will depend on its duration and effect not only on virgin values, but also crude oil, and feedstocks for virgin markets.

In the week ended 6 March, virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) domestic values rose by up to €110/tonne, virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) spot values by up to €250/tonne, and virgin polypropylene (PP) by up to €35/tonne, compared with 27 February. Virgin low density polyethylene (LDPE) spot prices have been rising since late 2025 due to production issues but the conflict saw further increases of up to €170/tonne. Crude oil prices soared to above $100/barrel by noon on 9 March but have since retreated.

For virgin PET, tightening supply, freight and upstream costs are adding additional upward price pressure as PET producers both in and outside of Europe review price offers, on a daily basis in some cases.

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* Source : https://www.plasticsnews.com/resin-prices/sp-middle-east-war-europe-recycled-plastics-impact/

* Edit : HANDLER