Dual Pressures of Weak Demand and Policy Volatility: The U.S. Recycled Plastic Market Faces Critical Challenges

On December 31, the National Development and Reform Commission and six other departments issued the Action Plan for the Promotion and Application of Recycled Materials. Recycled plastics were designated as a key category in the plan with systematic arrangements. Centering on the entire industrial chain—including enhancing supply capacity, expanding application scope, improving management systems, and refining supporting policies—the plan aims to drive the high-quality development of the recycled plastics industry and facilitate the transition to a circular economy and low-carbon development.

The comprehensive operating index of domestic recycled plastic enterprises in November 2025 was 49%, which decreased compared with that in October.

In September 2025, the comprehensive operating index of domestic recycled plastic enterprises was 50%, which was around the boom-bust line, showing improvement compared with August.

Today, recycled plastics are active in various industrial fields and have become a key force driving sustainable development. Their application scope is broad, covering multiple critical industries such as packaging, construction, and automobiles, and in each field, they demonstrate unique advantages and enormous development potential.

In the development process of the recycled plastics industry, the role of policies is undoubtedly the most powerful driving force, safeguarding the vigorous development of the industry.

At a time when global environmental awareness is constantly awakening and the "dual carbon" goals are prominently in place, the recycled plastics industry, as a crucial link in the development of the green economy, is standing at the forefront of the era's transformation. In recent years, with the widespread application of plastics in various fields, the amount of waste plastics has been increasing day by day, imposing a heavy burden on the environment. Therefore, the development of recycled plastics is extremely urgent.

In July 2025, the Comprehensive Operation Index of China's Recycled Plastics Enterprises stood at 49%, down by 1 percentage point compared with June.

China's Recycled Plastic Pellets Price Index stood at 684.7 points in July 2025, down 9.7% year-on-year and 0.8% month-on-month.

The second working meeting for the formulation and revision of the national standard *Requirements for Production and Sales Management System of Recycled Plastics* was presided over by Wang Yonggang, Secretary-General of the Recycled Plastics Branch of China Material Recycling Association. The meeting brought together industry experts, enterprise representatives and relevant policymakers from across the country to jointly discuss the draft of this national standard.