Significant Data Gaps in Plastic Additive Safety! Cheap Catalyst with Air Enables Efficient PET Decomposition

International News Guide

Raw Material News - New Report Points Out: Significant Data Gaps in Plastic Additive Safety

Recycling News - Experts Discover Cheap Catalyst with Air Enables Efficient PET Decomposition

Packaging News - Olmas and Unicor Reach Corrugated Plastic Pipe Technology Cooperation, Focusing on Synergistic Innovation and Global Customer Service

Electronics News - South Korea's HS Hyosung Plans to Acquire Umicore's Battery Materials Subsidiary

Macroeconomic News - Peru Announces Severance of Diplomatic Relations with Mexico; Mexican Foreign Ministry Responds

Price Information - CNY/USD Central Parity Rate Stands at 7.0885

Details of International News

1.Olmas and Unicor Reach Corrugated Plastic Pipe Technology Cooperation, Focusing on Synergistic Innovation and Global Customer Service

Recently, Italian company Olmas S.r.L. and German company Unicor GmbH signed a long-term cooperation agreement in Milan, Italy.

This cooperation integrates the two parties' cumulative experience of over 100 years in the design, R&D, and manufacturing of corrugated plastic pipe production equipment. The collaboration aims to leverage synergies, further enhance the two companies' positions in the international market, and provide customers with a richer portfolio of technologies, services, and innovative achievements.

2.Experts Discover Cheap Catalyst with Air Enables Efficient PET Decomposition

According to Plastmatch on November 4, U.S. scientists have successfully decomposed plastics using a simple and cheap catalyst and air.

This is expected to overcome the problems of current plastic recycling methods, which often use expensive catalysts, operate under harsh conditions, and produce toxic by-products. In contrast, the new process can convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics into monomer building blocks that can either be recycled into new PET products or upgraded into higher-value materials.

Experiments show that the new method can recover 94% of monomers from PET in just 4 hours without harmful by-products. Developed by chemists at Northwestern University, the process creates a non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and solvent-free approach. First, a cheap catalyst is used to break the chemical bonds in PET. Then, researchers only need to expose the decomposed fragments to room temperature air.

3.South Korea's HS Hyosung Plans to Acquire Umicore's Battery Materials Subsidiary

According to Plastmatch on November 4, HS Hyosung Advanced Materials Corp. (headquartered in Seoul, South Korea) will invest €120 million to acquire a controlling stake in Extra Mile Materials NV (EMM), the battery anode material subsidiary of Umicore NV (headquartered in Brussels, Belgium).

HS Hyosung stated: "We have decided to cooperate with Umicore to enter the secondary battery materials business (specifically the field of silicon-carbon composite anode materials) and plan to sign relevant agreements." Under this transaction, HS Hyosung will hold an 80% stake in EMM, and Umicore will hold the remaining 20%.

4.New Report Points Out: Significant Data Gaps in Plastic Additive Safety

A new report by Planet Tracker and the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund found that data on the potential hazards of many plastic additives—synthetic chemicals used to enhance plastic properties (such as color or flame retardancy)—is either undisclosed or unavailable.

This lack of transparency creates significant financial blind spots for investors, who cannot accurately quantify their exposure to potential liabilities or price risks.

5.$5 Billion Investment! CompoSecure to Acquire Husky

Citing a report from the Wall Street Journal, Plastmatch reported that Husky Technologies will be acquired by CompoSecure, backed by former Honeywell International CEO David Cote, for approximately $5 billion.

Headquartered in Bolton, Ontario, Canada, Husky is a manufacturer of injection molding machines, related equipment, and after-sales services.

Overseas Macroeconomic Market

【U.S. Old Aircraft Carrier Embarrassedly Returns After Fighters Crash While Intruding into the South China Sea】

An MH-60 Seahawk helicopter and an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet from the U.S. Navy's USS Nimitz aircraft carrier crashed into the South China Sea within half an hour recently.

Deployed to the Western Pacific since March 26, the USS Nimitz's combat readiness mission has lasted more than half a year. This is its last deployment mission. Currently, the USS Nimitz has returned to port, and the accident investigation is still ongoing. The USS Nimitz is scheduled to be officially decommissioned in May 2026, ending its 50-year service life. This "final voyage" that insisted on intruding into the South China Sea saw two military aircraft crash, which is both accidental and inevitable to a certain extent.

【Peru Announces Severance of Diplomatic Relations with Mexico; Mexican Foreign Ministry Responds】

On November 3 local time, the Mexican Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing regret and condemnation for Peru's unilateral decision to sever diplomatic relations.

The statement said that Mexico's provision of political asylum to former Peruvian Prime Minister Pedro Castillo is in line with international law, especially the 1954 Caracas Convention on Territorial Asylum, to which both Mexico and Peru are signatories.

【G7 Foreign Ministers Agree to Uphold Gaza Ceasefire Agreement】

According to CCTV International News, on November 3 local time, a ministerial meeting on the Gaza issue was held in Istanbul, Turkey. Chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the meeting was attended by representatives from the UAE, Indonesia, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

The meeting focused on the implementation of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, humanitarian aid, and possible post-war security and governance arrangements. It was held behind closed doors. After the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the representatives of the seven countries gathered in Istanbul to send a clear signal to the outside world: any act that undermines the ceasefire should not be tolerated, and conditions should be created to promote peace in Gaza.

【Sinopec and LG Chem Announce Joint Development of Sodium-Ion Battery Materials】

Sinopec and LG Chem recently signed an agreement on the joint development of key sodium-ion battery materials.

The two parties will jointly develop key materials such as cathode and anode materials for sodium-ion batteries for China's and global energy storage systems and low-speed electric vehicle markets, accelerate the commercialization process, expand the sodium-ion battery business model, and expand cooperation to the fields of new energy and high-value-added materials in the future.

Price Information

The CNY/USD central parity rate was reported at 7.0885, a decrease of 18 pips; the central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.0867, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.1225, and the night session closing price of the previous day was 7.1205.

【Upstream Raw Material USD Market Prices】

Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia USD 750/ton (stable); CFR Southeast Asia USD 755/ton (stable).

Propylene Northeast Asia: FOB South Korea average USD 730/ton (stable); CFR China average USD 745/ton (stable).

North Asia refrigerated cargo CIF price: Propane USD 513-515/ton; Butane USD 534-536/ton.

South China (China) refrigerated cargo CIF price for early December: Propane USD 547-557/ton; Butane USD 532-542/ton.

Taiwan region refrigerated cargo CIF price: Propane USD 513-515/ton; Butane USD 534-536/ton.

【LLDPE USD Market Prices】

Film: USD 830-860/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection Molding: USD 935/ton (CFR Huangpu).

【HDPE USD Market Prices】

Film: USD 860-900/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection Molding: USD 820/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Blow Molding (Hollow): USD 830-860/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Pipes: USD 1010/ton (CFR Huangpu).

【LDPE USD Market Prices】

Film: USD 1030-1050/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Coating: USD 1280/ton (CFR Huangpu).

【PP USD Market Prices】

Injection Molding: USD 840-915/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Copolymer: USD 840-870/ton (CFR Nansha);

Film Grade: USD 1015/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Transparent Grade: USD 1035-1080/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Pipes: USD 1100/ton (CFR Shanghai).