Europe’s petrochemical sector will need to see bold moves in the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal to help reverse its decline.
- May be a conflict between aim of making Europe more competitive and environmental goals

- Europe is in the “last chance saloon” to halt deindustrialisation

- Europe industry burdened by high cost of energy, CO2

- Improved connectivity for renewable power will be essential for chemicals

- Reform of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) welcome if it really protects local manufacturing

- Huge investment needed to make a low carbon future a reality

- ICIS forecasts depressed operating rates for global ethylene, propylene to 2035

- EU should focus on increasing tariff barriers, defence spending

- Clean Industrial Deal should be welcomed as a direct response to Antwerp Declaration

- Deal will be published on Wednesday 26 February

In this podcast, market editors Zubair Adam (MX) and Miguel Rodriguez Fernandez (PX) discuss the challenges for future demand.

John Richardson, Market Development Director, hosts this new series of ICIS podcasts focusing on the subject of sustainability, and more specifically, recycling.

In this first episode, John speaks to Helen McGeough, Global Plastics Recycling Analytics Team Lead, and Matt Tudball, Senior Editor for Recycling, Europe about how EU regulation is impacting the European recycling market now and in the future, and why European regulation will have a much more global impact.

Topics include:

• Breaking down European legislation (Single Use Plastics, Packaging & Packaging Waste, End of Life Vehicles)
• Impact on collection, sorting and quality of plastic waste in Europe and beyond
• Europe's competitiveness in the recycling space and how the economics compare
• How regulation may be a barrier for imports into the EU
• What's the future of plastics if the regulation does not work?