SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: February 24-28, 2025

February 28, 2025

Gold Set for Biggest Weekly Drop in over 3 Months; U.S. Inflation Data in Focus

Gold prices eased on Friday, and were set to post their biggest weekly drop since November 2024, on a stronger dollar, while investors awaited a key U.S. inflation data for cues into the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy trajectory. Spot gold fell 0.5% to $2,862.05 an ounce as of 0719 GMT. Bullion shed 2.5% so far this week, after logging eight straight weeks of gains. However, prices rose 2.2% in February. (Reuters)

Copper Surges in U.S. as Trump Launches Probe into Metal Imports

Copper futures surged after President Donald Trump ordered the US Commerce Department to examine possible imports tariffs on all forms of the metal. Copper futures traded on the Comex in New York rose as much as 4.9% before paring some of the gains. Shares of US-traded copper miners also climbed on the news, with Freeport-McMoRan Inc. jumping more than 5% on Wednesday in New York trading. The price differential between copper futures on New York’s Comex and the London Metal Exchange spiked to top $1,000 a ton before narrowing to around $700 during US hours. (Reuters)

Citi Raises First-Quarter Average Tin Price Forecast, Sees Easing in Second Quarter

Citi Research raised its average tin price forecast for the first quarter of 2025 to $32,000 per metric ton from $29,000 on Friday but noted that prices will start easing from the second quarter. The bank raised its price view amid physical market resilience ahead of tariff implementation and before there is more certainty on a supply recovery, it said in a note. This could help prices hold around $32,000 per metric ton through March, it added. (Reuters)

Iron Ore Logs Monthly Loss on China Steel Export Concerns

Iron ore futures prices fell on Friday and were set for monthly losses, pressured by U.S. tariff concerns and mounting trade frictions against Chinese steel exports. The most-traded May iron ore contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) closed down 0.74% to 799.5 yuan ($109.72) a metric ton. The contract has lost 1.17% for the month. The benchmark March iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was 1.36% lower at $103.65 a ton, losing 1.94% in February. (Reuters)

Plastic Back Turns Plastic Waste into Valuable Resources in New U.S. Partnership

Plastic Back, an Israeli startup originating from research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specializes in low-temperature chemical recycling has announced a strategic partnership with a U.S.-based recycler to address the growing global plastic waste crisis. Developed in collaboration with Yissum, Plastic Back’s innovative approach, supported by the BIRD Foundation, the Israel Innovation Authority, and the Ministry of Energy, will facilitate the establishment of the first-of-its-kind recycling facility in the U.S. This partnership aims to advance state-of-the-art chemical recycling solutions and promote sustainable waste management on a global scale. (EurekAlert)

AE Global Named Official Packaging Partner of rePurpose Global

AE Global, a leader in custom packaging solutions, has expanded its partnership with rePurpose Global, the world’s leading Plastic Action Platform. Together, they offer an innovative sustainability program that funds ocean-bound plastic cleanup efforts from funds saved on packaging costs and supply chain efficiencies. With this partnership, AE Global can offer customers packaging solutions that are certified Plastic Negative or Plastic Neutral—attracting earth-conscious consumers and increasing profitability by building brand trust. When a packaging solution is deemed Plastic Neutral it signifies that rePurpose Global will remove an equal amount of plastic from the environment as was used in that package. A Plastic Negative certification indicates that more than double the amount of plastic used to make a packaging solution is being removed from nature. (Business Wire)

Vode Lighting Chooses Recycled American Post-Consumer Scrap to Cut Product Emissions

Vode Lighting will be the first company in North America to use Hydro CIRCAL in their products. By using low-carbon recycled aluminum produced in the United States, the company will cut emissions, secure its supply chain and support a circular U.S. economy. Hydro CIRCAL is a prime quality recycled aluminum made with a minimum of 75 percent recycled post-consumer scrap. The metal is certified by an independent third party (DNV) on a batch-by-batch level and has the lowest carbon footprint in the aluminum industry, with 1.9 kg CO2 or less per kilo of aluminum. (Hydro)

Ambercycle and Huilong Announce Partnership to Scale Circular Textile Materials

Ambercycle, a cutting-edge innovator in textile recycling, has entered into a partnership with Zhejiang Huilong New Materials Co., Ltd., a leader in intelligent manufacturing specializing in dope dyed polyester yarn. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption and commercialization of sustainable, circular textile materials, marking a significant step forward in advancing the global textile supply chain. (PR Newswire)

Altilium Signs MOU to Supply Talga with Recycled Graphite

Talga Group Ltd has announced details of a non-binding MOU with Altilium to secure a sustainable supply of graphite for use in EV battery anode products. Under the MoU framework Altilium proposes to supply Talga with up to 16,000 tonnes of recycled graphite over three years commencing 2026. ASX-listed Talga is building Europe’s first natural graphite anode refinery in Sweden and is developing a recycled graphite anode product in response to increasing demand for the critical material. (Altilium)

Rio Tinto-Buyout Target Arcadium Lithium Posts Loss on Falling Lithium Prices

Arcadium Lithium (ALTM.N) posted a loss in the fourth quarter on Thursday, as low prices of lithium, used to power electric vehicle batteries, weighed on the company. Lithium prices have plunged more than 80% from its peak in November 2022 after a supply glut and softening of aggressive EV adoption rates. Arcadium has agreed to sell itself to Rio Tinto (RIO.AX), which shareholders approved in January and is expected to close by March 6. (Reuters)

Coal India, NMDC and ONGC Videsh Are Exploring Critical Minerals in Australia

India is exploring mining of critical minerals in Zambia, Congo and Australia, Mines Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao said on Thursday, as the world’s fastest-growing major economy aims to secure raw materials such as lithium. Companies like Coal India, NMDC and ONGC Videsh are exploring critical minerals in Australia, Rao said. The move comes as India is taking efforts to reduce its reliance on imports of minerals such as lithium, key to energy transition technologies. (Reuters)

Trump Orders New Tariff Probe into U.S. Copper Imports

President Donald Trump opened yet another front on Tuesday in his assault on global trade norms, ordering a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports to rebuild U.S. production of a metal critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. Trump, looking to thwart what his advisers see as a move by China to dominate the global copper market, signed an order at the White House directing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to start a national security probe under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. That is the same law Trump used in his first term to impose 25% global tariffs on steel and aluminum. (The Guardian)

EU Waste Shipments Regulation: EU Commission Confirms List of Non-OECD Countries that Applied for Non-Hazardous Waste Imports from EU

The European Commission has confirmed that 24 countries have submitted applications to continue receiving non-hazardous waste from the EU beyond May 2027, when the new export prohibitions under the EU Waste Shipments Regulation will enter into force. BIR urges members in non-OECD countries that are not on this list and have not yet applied to engage with your national authorities immediately to submit applications as soon as possible. (BIR)

EuRIC: CID Falls Short of Delivering the Bold Measures Needed to Achieve Goals

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation(EuRIC), states that it welcomes the European Commission’s ambition to lay out a plan driving the continent’s energy transition and industry empowerment. However, the plan released today, the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), falls short of delivering the bold measures needed to achieve these goals. lt fails to effectively link decarbonization with circularity or recognize the key role EU recyclers play in cutting carbon emissions and generating resources. (EuRIC)

CARE Launches Capital Grant Cycle 7A for California-Based Post-Consumer Carpet Recycling Projects

Capital Grant Cycle 7A provides funding for capital improvements that will establish, increase, improve and enhance additional California generated post-consumer carpet (PCC) collection, reuse, recycling and/or utilization of recycled content product manufacturing. CARE will give preference to projects that can prove project impact in the first year of operations and have a proven track record of operational growth and success. CARE has allocated $700,000 total to award to California-based projects throughout Cycle 7A (2025-2027). Individual projects may apply for up to $500,000 in Cycle 7A funds. Only California-based private entities are eligible to apply. CARE’s current priorities are to enhance PCC tile recycling and reuse, PCC collection and PCC calcium carbonate backing (PC4) recycling; develop fiber agnostic markets; and grow pelletizing and compounding infrastructure in California. Deadline for applications is March 31, 2025. (CARE)

Copper Giant Chile Monitoring U.S. Probe into Potential Metals Tariffs

Chile’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it is “monitoring” a U.S. probe looking into potential new tariffs on imports of copper, a metal critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. In a short response to Reuters, the ministry said it would watch how things developed after US President Donald Trump ordered the probe in a move to thwart what his advisers see as a move by China to dominate the global copper market. The ministry later released a statement saying it has held meetings to examine possible consequences for Chile, adding that a technical team is doing an analysis. (Reuters)