SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: January 26-30, 2026

January 30, 2026

UBS Raises Gold Price Target to $6,200/oz

UBS has raised its gold price target to $6,200 per ounce from $5,000 for March, June and September 2026, citing stronger-than-expected demand stemming from increased investment. However, the bank in a note on Thursday projected a modest decline to $5,900 per ounce by 2026-end after U.S. midterm elections. UBS sees an upside scenario of $7,200 per ounce and a downside case of $4,600 for gold, noting that a hawkish Federal Reserve could heighten downside risks, while escalating geopolitical tensions could drive prices higher. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank said on Tuesday that gold could climb to $6,000 per ounce in 2026, driven by persistent investment demand as central banks and investors increase allocations to non-dollar and real assets. Analysts at Societe Generale also anticipate gold will reach $6,000 per ounce by the end of this year, and said that their forecast may be conservative, with scope for further gains. (Source: Reuters)

Silver Declines on Profit-Taking

Silver fell about 4% toward $110 per ounce on Friday, retreating from all-time highs as investors locked in profits following the record rally, while rebound in the dollar added pressure on the metal. Despite the pullback, silver is on track to gain more than 50% in January, marking its best monthly performance on record and extending a winning streak to nine consecutive months. The rally has been fueled by persistent geopolitical and economic uncertainties, which boosted safe-haven demand, alongside a sharp depreciation in the dollar triggered by shifting policies in Washington and President Donald Trump’s apparent indifference to the currency’s weakness. Trump also said he will announce his pick for a nominee to chair the Federal Reserve, with reports suggesting former Fed governor Kevin Warsh as the likely choice. Silver’s surge was further supported by a tight physical market, with both investment and industrial demand hitting record levels. (Source: Trading Economics)

Copper Reverses Gains as Metals Retreat

Copper futures dropped more than 3% to around $6 per pound on Friday, reversing a sharp rally from the previous session amid a broad retreat across the metals complex. Investors locked in profits after copper, gold, silver, and other metals surged to record levels, while a nascent rebound in the dollar added further pressure. Market participants also reassessed the fundamentals behind the recent speculative rally, which had been driven in part by expectations of higher long-term demand amid limited supply following decades of underinvestment in new mining projects. Demand projections are supported by surging investment in data centers and the electrification infrastructure needed for AI services and electric vehicle charging stations. Recurring tariff threats from US President Donald Trump further amplified the rise in metal prices, as investors sought hard assets amid economic uncertainty and deteriorating confidence in the dollar. (Source: Trading Economics)

Iron Ore Slips on Rising Inventories

Iron ore futures slipped back below CNY 790 per ton, reversing gains from earlier in the week as rising portside inventories in China signaled weak demand and ample supply. An industry report pointed to a substantial buildup in coarse fines, while inventories of fine ore, lump ore, and pellets continued to decline. The window for iron ore restocking ahead of the Lunar New Year is also narrowing, with recent trends indicating limited scope for further upside. More than forty independent electric-arc furnaces are scheduled to shut down for maintenance between Feb. 1-8, weighing on near-term demand. However, blast furnaces are expected to ramp up production next week as more steel mills resume operations following planned maintenance. Iron ore prices also tracked a broader pullback across the metals complex, as a global speculative rally gave way to profit-taking. (Source: Trading Economics)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: January 26-30, 2026

SOLARCYCLE Launches Solar Panel Recycling Operations in Georgia

SOLARCYCLE has begun commercial recycling operations at a new facility in Cedartown, Georgia, expanding its capacity to process end-of-life solar panels as U.S. solar installations continue to grow, the company said. The 255,000-square-foot plant uses the company’s latest recycling technology, which SOLARCYCLE said more than doubles the throughput of its earlier systems. The facility is currently processing thousands of panels each week and is expected to scale to about one million panels annually by the end of 2026, with a maximum capacity of up to 5 gigawatts of panels per year. Chief Executive Suvi Sharma said the facility is aimed at bringing solar recycling to an industrial scale while keeping critical materials such as silver, copper, aluminum and glass in domestic supply chains. The site sits next to a planned solar glass manufacturing plant, which SOLARCYCLE expects to begin building in mid-2026. (Source: SOLARCYCLE)

Cyclic Materials to Expand U.S. Rare Earth Recycling Footprint with New South Carolina Campus

Cyclic Materials said it will invest more than $82 million to build a rare earth recycling campus in McBee, South Carolina, expanding its U.S. footprint as demand grows for domestically sourced critical minerals. The site will include the company’s second U.S. “Spoke” facility and its largest “Hub” facility to date, with initial capacity to process about 2,000 tons of magnet material annually and plans to expand to 6,000 tons. Cyclic said the campus will initially produce around 600 tons of mixed rare earth oxides (MREO) a year, rising to 1,800 tons as operations scale. The facilities will use the company’s proprietary recycling technologies to recover rare earths from end-of-life products that are typically not recycled. Cyclic said the expansion supports North American supply chains for materials used in electric vehicles, electronics, defense systems and renewable energy. (Source: Cyclic Materials)

Redwood Materials Closes $425 Million Series E to Expand Energy Storage Platform

Redwood Materials has completed the final closing of its Series E funding round, raising a total of $425 million to support the expansion of its energy storage operations and battery recycling business, the company said. The final close adds to a previously announced $350 million raise and includes continued backing from existing investors Capricorn and Goldman Sachs Alternatives, along with new participation from Google. Redwood said the increased funding reflects investor confidence in its long-term strategy and execution. The company plans to use the capital to scale its energy storage platform while further developing its integrated recycling and critical minerals operations. Redwood cited rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, data centers, manufacturing and broader electrification as a key driver for grid-scale storage investment. Founded by former Tesla executive JB Straubel, Redwood is building a domestic battery materials and recycling ecosystem focused on energy security and grid reliability. (Source: Redwood Materials)

INEOS Introduces 70% Recycled Polypropylene Grade for Cosmetics Packaging

INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe has launched a new polypropylene grade containing 70% recycled material, targeting brands seeking lower-carbon cosmetics packaging without sacrificing performance, the company said. The product, branded rPP1025C under INEOS’s Recycl-IN range, is a hybrid polymer designed for thin-walled injection moulding and fibre extrusion. It combines mechanically recycled plastics with so-called booster polymers to retain stiffness, heat resistance and optical quality comparable to virgin polypropylene, while cutting carbon footprint by about 35%. INEOS said the grade is suitable for contact-sensitive applications such as caps, jars, mascara components and dispenser parts. The recycled content is certified as post-consumer recyclate by RecyClass and covered by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration no-objection letter. The launch marks the company’s second Recycl-IN hybrid grade for cosmetics packaging, following rPP2030C, as packaging producers face rising regulatory and consumer pressure to increase recycled content. (Source: INEOS)

Metallium Announces Completion of A$75 Million Strategic Capital Raise Led by U.S. Institutions

Metallium Ltd. announced the completion of an A$75 million strategic capital raise, led by U.S.-based investors with dedicated mandates focused on critical minerals, recycling technologies, and U.S. domestic processing capacity. The raise is timed to support U.S. commissioning and commercial scale-up of the company's first commercial facility, Gator Point Technology Campus in Texas, and support of the company’s ADR (American Depository Receipt) trading on the OTCQX, in advance of a planned NASDAQ listing later this year. The funding was completed at an issue price of A$0.84 per share, representing an 8.7% discount to the company’s last closing price and an 8.8% discount to the 5-day, volume-weighted average price (VWAP). The transaction materially increases U.S. institutional participation on Metallium's share register and reflects growing investor interest in U.S.-based critical metals processing and technology platforms. (Source: Metallium Ltd.)

CF Booth Collapse Puts Around 200 UK Recycling Jobs at Risk

Historic UK metal recycler CF Booth has entered administration, putting around 200 jobs at risk and marking the collapse of one of Britain’s best-known independent scrap firms. The Rotherham-based company filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, according to a filing in The London Gazette. Interpath Advisory partners James Ronald Alexander Lumb and Howard Smith have been named as joint administrators. Founded in the 1920s, CF Booth grew from a local scrap trader into a major processor of steel, copper and aluminium, supplying manufacturers and recyclers across the UK. Its Clarence Metal Works site has long been a major employer in South Yorkshire. The administration follows the recent death of owner and director Ken Booth, ending more than a century of family involvement. Industry participants say volatile demand, rising costs and wider disruption in the UK scrap market have added pressure to operators in recent months. (Source: The Mirror)

Chemco Group Commissions Rs. 125 Crore rPET Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling Facility in Gujarat

Chemco Group, one of India’s leading plastic packaging manufacturers, has commissioned a state-of-the-art food-grade rPET recycling facility in Sanand, Gujarat, marking a major milestone in the country’s transition towards a circular plastics economy. The project represents a capital investment of approximately Rs. 125 crore and positions Chemco among a select group of Indian companies offering true end-to-end bottle-to-bottle recycling at an industrial scale. The facility is designed to recycle over 1 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually, converting them back into high-quality, food-grade recycled PET (rPET) suitable for direct food and beverage packaging applications. With this commissioning, Chemco significantly strengthens India’s domestic capability to replace virgin plastic with certified recycled material while maintaining stringent quality and safety standards. Located in the industrial hub of Sanand, the plant has been developed to meet global regulatory expectations. The recycled PET produced at the facility is US FDA and EFSA approved, and fully compliant with FSSAI requirements for food-contact applications in India. (Source: Business Standard)

International Paper Completes Sale of Global Cellulose Fibers Business to American Industrial Partners

International Paper has completed the sale of its Global Cellulose Fibers (GCF) business to funds affiliated with American Industrial Partners (AIP). As part of the sale agreement, AIP acquired the GCF business for $1.5 billion, including the issuance to International Paper of preferred stock with an aggregate initial liquidation preference of $190 million. The GCF business creates safe, high-quality pulp for a wide range of applications such as towel and tissue products, diapers, feminine care, incontinence and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. In addition, its specialty pulp serves as a sustainable raw material used in construction materials, paints, coatings and more. The GCF segment of International Paper generated $2.8 billion in revenue in 2024, including contributions from mills that have since closed. The business operations sold to AIP generated approximately $2.3 billion in revenue in 2024 excluding the revenue from closed mills. The business has 3,300 employees globally, nine manufacturing facilities and eight regional offices. (Source: PR Newswire)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: January 26-30, 2026

Uzbekistan to Launch State Vehicle Recycling System in June 2026

Starting from 1 June 2026, Uzbekistan plans to implement a state-run system for recycling old vehicles. This initiative is outlined in a draft Presidential Decree and is part of reforms aimed at addressing priority objectives of the “Year of Mahalla Development and Improving Public Wellbeing” and the “Uzbekistan – 2030” strategy. The program envisions the creation of specialized enterprises for the collection of old vehicles and the organization of technological processes for recycling their components. Citizens who officially surrender their old vehicles and take out an auto loan to purchase a new car will receive a 5 percent subsidy on the loan interest rate from the state. Recycling fees collected from imported vehicles will be accumulated in a dedicated fund, which will be used to develop recycling infrastructure and support environmental initiatives. The program will also cover the recycling of household and electrical equipment, including obsolete solar panels, with the establishment of a network of collection and processing points. Special attention is given to encouraging the replacement of vehicles aged 20–25 years with modern cars that meet safety and environmental standards, with financial incentives and tax benefits provided to support this transition. The launch of the vehicle recycling system will be part of a comprehensive state approach to modernize the automotive fleet, reduce environmental impact, and support domestic production of modern vehicles. (Source: UZDAILY)

Indonesia Re-exports U.S. Electronic Waste as Authorities Step Up Import Controls

Indonesia has begun sending hazardous electronic waste back to the United States, marking a first enforcement step in a widening crackdown on illegal waste imports that has congested the busy port of Batam, according to Indonesian media reports. Batam customs officials last week supervised the re-export of four containers from Batu Ampar Port after inspections confirmed the cargo contained hazardous and toxic materials banned under Indonesian law. The shipment included used electronic components such as computer parts, hard drives and printed circuit boards, authorities said. The action followed a warning from Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq that Indonesia would not accept illegal foreign waste shipments. Batam Customs chief Zaky Firmansyah said re-export is compulsory once prohibited materials are identified, leaving importers no alternative. Officials said the containers were linked to Esun Internasional Utama Indonesia, as authorities continue reviewing hundreds of suspect shipments stalled at the port. (Source: South China Morning Post)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: January 26-30, 2026