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?

LONDON (ICIS)--Halfway through Q1 - and it is no surprise that there are still a host of challenges facing the phenol, acetone and derivatives chain. These include high energy costs, ongoing poor demand and the uncertainty around future trade flows given fresh Asia capacity and any tariffs – and reciprocal tariffs - from the new Trump administration.

Europe ICIS editors Jane Gibson (acetone and phenol), Heidi Finch (bisphenol A and epoxy resins), Meeta Ramnani (polycarbonate), Mathew Jolin-Beech (methyl methacrylate) and ICIS senior analyst Michele Bossi (aromatics and derivatives) discuss current market conditions, in particular demand challenges, in view of residual macro and geopolitical headwinds, so far in 2025.

• European PC under a lot of pressure by low demand and Asian imports as all suppliers try to get a piece of the small cake
• Epoxy, BPA demand subdued, but EU ADDs for epoxy to bring some opportunities
• Low demand thwarts phenol market, with acetone yet to offer any real margin support
• Europe MMA facing growing pressures from rising production costs and stubbornly weak demand

Podcast editing by Mathew Jolin-Beech

The Global Impact Coalition (GIC) aims to bring chemical companies and value chain partners together to solve challenges on the road to net zero carbon.

- Collective effort will bring down the cost of sustainable solutions

- GIC is spin off from the World Economic Forum

- Major chemical company members include BASF, SABIC, Clariant, Covestro, LyondellBasell, Mitsubishi, Syensqo, LG Chem

- Automotive plastics recycling is a key focus

- Fully decarbonised car would only add $900 to final price

- On average decarbonising only adds 2-4% to final price of most goods

- However decarbonization costs rise steeply up the value chain

- GIC aims to grow geographically and along industrial value chains

ICIS journalist Will Beacham interviews Charlie Tan, CEO of the GIC and Lars Kissau, president of BASF’s Net Zero Accelerator.

Recycled Plastics senior analyst Andrea Bassetti and US Recycled Plastics senior editor Emily Friedman discuss the main takeaways from the latest round of corporate quarterly earnings calls, as they relate to the US recycled plastics industry.

Senior Editor for Recycling Matt Tudball asks Carolina Perujo Holland, Senior Analysts for Plastics Recycling, and Travis Klein, Senior Analyst for PET how the European markets compare to other regions in terms of competitiveness, impacts of regulation and feedstock costs, and what they'll be covering in their presentation at the ICIS PET Value Chain Conference.

The ICIS PET Value Chain Conference runs from 6-7 March in Amsterdam. Click here to register and see the full agenda.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) --The Trump administration swiftly withdrew financial support for its hydrogen sector, while China is accelerating hydrogen expansion with strong policy backing.

In this podcast, ICIS hydrogen analysts Patricia Tao and Anita Yang discuss how these developments could gradually shift the global hydrogen market’s center of gravity over the next three to five years.