German plastics recycling market still in the doldrums

The German and European plastics recycling market continues to struggle, with November sales of degranulatePla and regrind falling well below expectations. Many buyers remained cautious, relying on existing inventories or sourcing cheaper virgin plastics. When recycled materials were purchased, customers often pushed for additional discounts. Early announcements by plastic converters of extended downtime over the Christmas and New Year period further limited material outflow. In some cases, recyclers engaged in price concessions or even panic selling to secure short-term liquidity. The weak demand, poor order intake from converters, and significantly lower prices of virgin plastics worsened the economic pressure on recyclers. To remain competitive and cover ongoing costs, many recyclers sharply reduced purchase prices for input materials, with some types of regrind or plastic waste even being offered at zero remuneration, despite the risk of reduced supply volumes. In this challenging environment, offtake guarantees and maintaining continuity of waste management services have become more critical than achieving the maximum possible selling price, reflecting a shift in market priorities towards stability and long-term operational security.