SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: June 22-26, 2026

June 26, 2026

Gold Set for Sharp Weekly Drop

Gold steadied above $4,000 an ounce on Friday but remained on track to lose nearly 5% for the week as hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve outweighed support from the impact of US-Iran peace efforts. On Thursday, bullion rebounded modestly after the latest US PCE inflation data came in broadly in line with expectations, easing fears of imminent Fed rate hikes and pushing the dollar and Treasury yields lower. Even so, markets are pricing in an 80% chance of a Fed rate hike in December following last week’s hawkish pause, while the probability of a September increase stands at around 63%. Meanwhile, oil prices continued to retreat and have returned to pre-conflict levels as progress in US-Iran peace negotiations eased concerns over Middle East supply disruptions and further reduced inflation worries. (Source: Trading Economics)

Silver Price Forecasts: XAG/USD Edges Up, Nearing $58 as the US Dollar Takes a Breather

Silver (XAG/USD) has bounced up from seven-month lows below $56.00 on Friday, to reach session highs at $57.80 at the moment of writing. The precious metal is trimming some losses, favoured by a mild US Dollar (USD) pullback, but remains on track for a 10% weekly decline, hammered by broad USD strength. Recent US macroeconomic figures highlight a resilient economy and an improving labour market, while the AI boom is funnelling massive investment flows into the country. This has revived the theory of US economic exceptionalism and is boosting the Greenback against its main peers. US inflation, on the other hand, remains out of control, despite the recent decline in oil prices. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Federal Reserve’s inflation gauge of choice, accelerated to a 4.1% year-on-year growth in May, its highest level in more than three years, endorsing the central bank’s hawkish stance. In this context, investors’ repricing of interest rate hikes in the coming months is fuelling the US Dollar’s rally and crushing precious metals. (Source: FXStreet)

Steel Drops to 4-Month Low

Steel rebar futures fell below CNY 3,060 per ton, reaching their lowest level in four months as narrowing profit margins for steel mills and seasonal demand weakness weighed on prices. Industry data showed profitability among Chinese steel mills declined to about 51% in the latest week, down 4.8 percentage points from the previous week and 8.2 percentage points from a year earlier. The margin squeeze followed a fatal coal-mining accident in Shanxi last month, which drove up coke prices and encouraged mills to use more medium-to-high-grade iron ore to improve efficiency. Meanwhile, crude steel production in the world’s largest producer continued to weaken amid the prolonged downturn in the property sector, with May output falling 2.7% year-on-year to 84.35 million tons. (Source: Trading Economics)

SABIC Introduces Recycled-Content LNP ELCRIN Compound for Electronics Applications

SABIC has launched LNP™ ELCRIN™ DC0051RC1, a new polycarbonate-based compound containing 75% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, expanding its portfolio of circular materials for the consumer electronics sector. The material is SABIC’s first PCR-based carbon fiber-reinforced compound and is designed to deliver high mechanical performance while supporting sustainability goals. It offers strong dimensional stability, high stiffness and UL94 V0 flame-retardant performance at a thin-wall thickness of 0.8 mm, making it suitable for laptop housings and other structural electronic components. According to SABIC, the compound was engineered to maintain key mechanical and flame-retardant properties despite the challenges often associated with incorporating high levels of recycled content. The material also features non-chlorinated and non-brominated flame-retardant chemistry to help reduce environmental and health concerns. LNP ELCRIN DC0051RC1 is now commercially available worldwide, supporting manufacturers seeking higher recycled content without compromising product performance. (Source: SABIC)

PureCycle, IPL Schoeller Launch Food-Grade Recycled PP Container for Cleveland Kitchen

PureCycle Technologies and IPL Schoeller have partnered to produce a polypropylene food container containing 25% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content for fermented food brand Cleveland Kitchen. The 24-ounce tubs and lids, which will reach U.S. retail shelves this month, are the first commercially produced food-contact grocery containers made with PureCycle’s PureFive® recycled polypropylene resin. The resin, produced through a dissolution recycling process, is FDA-compliant for food-contact applications and certified for recycled content. The launch helps Cleveland Kitchen meet emerging recycled-content requirements in states including New Jersey and California without compromising packaging performance. PureCycle and IPL Schoeller said the collaboration demonstrates the commercial viability of high-quality recycled polypropylene for food packaging and plan to expand the use of PureFive® resin across additional packaging applications in the future. (Source: PureCycle)

Australian Solar Research Centre Secures A$95.4 Million to Extend PV Innovation Program

The Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), has secured A$95.4 million (US$62 million) in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to continue its solar research program through 2033. The funding forms part of a broader A$220 million national initiative supported by seven Australian universities and industry partners. ACAP said the investment will help accelerate the development of next-generation solar technologies and strengthen Australia’s position as a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) research. The program will focus on advancing high-efficiency solar cells through materials discovery, AI-enabled experimentation and advanced characterization techniques. ACAP Executive Director Renate Egan said the funding would support the development of commercially viable technologies for manufacturers and investors. ARENA Chief Executive Darren Miller said continued investment in solar innovation is critical to reducing costs, improving efficiency and supporting Australia’s transition to a net-zero energy system. The research is also expected to contribute to the decarbonization of industries such as green metals, transport, fuel production and data centers. (Source: UNSW)

Nestlé, Interzero and Partners Launch InFACT to Advance Flexible Plastic Recycling

Nestlé, Interzero, TotalEnergies and 13 other organisations have joined the InFACT project, an industry initiative aimed at converting household flexible plastic waste into new food packaging. Led by the Danish Technological Institute, the project will run from 2026 to 2028 with funding from Innovation Fund Denmark. It brings together companies across the plastics value chain, from waste collection and sorting to recycling, packaging production and food manufacturing. The consortium aims to improve recycling of flexible packaging such as coffee pouches, crisp packets and confectionery wrappers, which are often incinerated or downcycled due to their complex multi-layer construction. By combining complementary recycling technologies and strengthening collaboration across the value chain, InFACT seeks to support compliance with upcoming EU requirements on packaging recyclability and recycled content while expanding circular use of plastic materials. (Source: Packaging Europe)

FDA Clears Coperion Recycling Technology for Food-Grade rHDPE and rPP

Coperion has received a Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, confirming that its recycling process for high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and polypropylene (rPP) is suitable for producing materials for direct food-contact applications. The approval covers Coperion’s twin-screw extrusion technology combined with its EcoFresh silo degassing system, which the company said effectively removes contaminants during mechanical recycling. The process was validated through FDA-reviewed challenge testing. The technology enables recycled HDPE from items such as milk bottles and recycled PP from food containers to be reused in new food packaging. Coperion said the system supports production capacities of up to 6,000 kilograms per hour and allows manufacturers to produce food-grade recyclates containing up to 100% recycled content for a range of food packaging applications. (Source: Coperion)

INEOS Styrolution to Close Illinois Polystyrene Plant by End of 2026

INEOS Styrolution will permanently close its polystyrene production site in Channahon, Illinois, with decommissioning and shutdown expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026. The decision follows persistent margin pressures, industry oversupply and a review of the site’s long-term economic viability. Around 100 employees will be affected, with the company pledging support during the transition. Production will be consolidated at the company’s facilities in Decatur, Alabama, and Altamira, Mexico, as part of a strategy to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Despite the closure, INEOS Styrolution said it remains committed to the North American polystyrene market, continuing to supply customers in sectors including healthcare, packaging, appliances and construction. The company’s Americas Regional Development Center at the Channahon site will remain operational to support product innovation and market development. (Source: INEOS)

TerraCycle Launches Zero Waste Box Recycling Service in South Korea

TerraCycle has officially launched its Zero Waste Box service in South Korea, offering consumers a way to recycle hard-to-process household waste that is typically excluded from conventional collection systems. Customers can purchase collection boxes through TerraCycle’s Naver Smart Store, fill them with eligible waste and return them using the included shipping service. The box price covers the container, round-trip transportation and recycling costs. Accepted items include cosmetic packaging, coffee capsules, snack wrappers, disposable masks and gloves, ink cartridges and earplugs. Once collected, the materials are recycled into new products. While the service expands recycling options, its relatively high cost may limit wider household adoption. Small collection boxes start at 114,600 won, while larger options can cost nearly 400,000 won, depending on the waste stream. (Source: TerraCycle)

Dow and Walki Develop Recyclable Monomaterial PE Pouch for Frozen Foods

Dow and Walki have developed a recyclable monomaterial polyethylene (PE) pouch designed for premium frozen and dry food applications, aiming to replace conventional multilayer packaging with a more circular alternative. The pouch uses machine direction orientation (MDO) PE film technology, which improves stiffness and barrier properties while enabling recyclability when combined with a PE sealant layer. Walki handled pouch design, printing and finishing, while Dow supplied low-temperature sealing technology to ensure compatibility with heat-sensitive materials. The companies said the structure delivers a matte finish often required for premium food branding, while maintaining performance for applications such as frozen meals and modified atmosphere packaging. The solution is positioned as compliant with EU packaging recyclability requirements and is intended to support broader efforts to reduce packaging waste through design-for-recycling approaches. (Source: Walki)

Flexible Plastic Fund Launches FlexCircular to Boost UK Flexible Packaging Recycling

The Flexible Plastic Fund (FPF) has launched FlexCircular, a new initiative aimed at accelerating the development of a circular economy for flexible plastic packaging in the UK. Building on the success of the FlexCollect project, which demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale household collection of flexible plastics, FlexCircular will focus on the next stage of the value chain: recycling infrastructure and closed-loop solutions. The project brings together stakeholders including DEFRA, PackUK, the Welsh Government, Zero Waste Scotland, SUEZ, CEFLEX, WRAP and RECOUP. A key objective is to assess the investment, infrastructure and policy support needed to recycle up to 400,000 tonnes of post-consumer flexible plastic packaging annually by 2030, with a particular emphasis on food-grade recycling applications. The study will evaluate future demand for recycled flexible plastics, required recycling capacity, investment needs and the risks of continued reliance on virgin materials. Findings are expected to be released by the end of 2026 and are intended to provide a roadmap for scaling domestic recycling capacity and supporting long-term circularity goals. (Source: Flexible Plastic Fund)

EU Approves New Circularity Rules for Vehicles Across Entire Lifecycle

The European Parliament has given final approval to a new regulation aimed at improving vehicle circularity and end-of-life management, marking a significant step toward a more sustainable automotive sector. The legislation, agreed with the Council in late 2025, was adopted with 437 votes in favor, 112 against and 20 abstentions. Under the new rules, all new vehicles sold in the EU must be designed to facilitate the removal and recycling of components. Automakers will be required to ensure that plastics in new vehicle models contain at least 15% recycled content within six years, rising to 25% within ten years, with a portion sourced from end-of-life vehicles. The regulation also introduces extended producer responsibility, requiring manufacturers to finance the collection and treatment of end-of-life vehicles. In addition, stricter export controls will prohibit the export of non-roadworthy vehicles to curb illegal dismantling and waste practices. The rules are expected to take effect 24 months after receiving final approval from the Council. (Source: European Parliament)