WRAP: Chinese market for recovered plastics from the UK hit by economic crisis / Signs of slow improvement

Plastics industry with record sales of around CHF 16 bn in 2008 / Polymer consumption touches nearly 1m t / Economic crisis currently putting the brakes on business / Packaging segment also slipping

Eni to again idle cracker at Porto Torres / Trade unions seek talks with Berlusconi

Recession tightens its grip / Polymer production expected to contract by 30% this year / Return to 2008 level unlikely before 2011 / Significantly slower growth in volume of plastics processed

Expensive recycling of packaging / Low recycling rates / Use of recycled plastics to be stepped up / Lack of sorting facilities

Vinyls Italia may seek “extraordinary administration” / Minister meets with ENI in yet another crisis session

Plastics once more in demand / Plastics processing witnesses upward trend / Rising prices for raw materials / Government launches programme to spur consumption

Polymer consumption slips to 7.1m t in 2008 / Output still declining / Optimism at Milan exhibitions / Upswing in summer may be on the cards / Core machinery manufacture in a dismal state

PVC futures trading expected soon on DCE

Plastics production in its infancy / Five major petchems complexes under construction or planned / Many small plastics converters / High energy and material consumption due to outdated machinery

Dubai exchange again delays plastics futures launch

Central European country leads market growth / Consumption levels pass Scandinavia / More than 2.3m t of thermoplastics processed / New AMI report spotlights over 1,000 companies

US demand forecast to rise 7.1% annually to 2012 / Growth boosted by strong demand for starch products

Demand again grew faster than GDP in 2007 / Consumption 52.5m t / Germany still the biggest producer / Half of European plastics waste is recycled / PlasticsEurope report “Compelling Facts about Plastics 2007” on the EU27 plus Norway and Switzerland

Rise of 27% rise in value of plastics production in 2007 / Pipes and profiles segments on the brink of consolidation / More stringent safety regulations for the chemical industry