SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: March 2-6, 2026

March 06, 2026

Gold Rises as Middle East Conflict Spurs Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices rose on Friday, rebounding from a more than 1% drop in the previous session, as investors bought safe-haven bullion on heightened uncertainty over a widening Middle East conflict. Spot gold was up 0.8% at $5,117.27 per ounce, as of 0650 GMT. The metal has lost roughly 3% so far this week and is on course to snap a four-week winning streak on fading interest rate-cut prospects and inflation concerns as global energy prices spike. U.S. gold futures for April delivery were up 1% at $5,126.70. The dollar weakened, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for holders of other currencies. (Source: Reuters)

Silver Stuck at $82 on Boost from Ongoing Middle East Tensions with Iran

Silver (XAG/USD) continues to rise in the early Asian session on Friday, hovering around $82. White metal is boosted by the ongoing US-Israeli campaign against Iran, which offers safe-haven support. In search of new motivation, traders await the release of the important US employment report for February. Silver is still in a long-term bullish trend after surpassing its 1980 peak of $50.36 per ounce in 2025. Industrial and speculative demand for silver has skyrocketed. According to the Silver Institute, demand will exceed supply in 2025, resulting in a deficit of 117.70 million ounces. When the price of silver reached a new record high in 2025, it attracted significant buying interest because it is a highly speculative metal. Silver Institute projected silver demand to stay “largely unchanged in 2026, as healthy gains in retail investment are likely to offset most of the losses across other key demand segments, notably in jewelry, silverware, and industrial demand.” A weak US dollar and the likelihood of declining U.S. interest rates have been positive for silver prices. (Source: FXLeaders)

Copper Heads for Weekly Drop

Copper futures climbed back above $5.8 per pound on Friday as the broader metals complex rebounded, but were still poised to finish the week lower as investors rushed for the dollar amid the escalating Middle East conflict and rising inflation concerns. The US-Israeli offensive against Iran has now entered its seventh day with no signs of easing, while Tehran launched a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes across the Gulf. Traders also contended with surging oil prices, which fueled fears of resurgent global inflation, supporting bets that the Federal Reserve will delay rate cuts and strengthening the dollar at the expense of other assets. In top consumer China, the government set a softer economic growth target of 4.5%–5% this week, reflecting persistent deflationary pressures and elevated US tariffs. (Source: Trading Economics)

Iron Ore Hits 1-Month High

Iron ore futures climbed toward CNY 770 per ton, reaching a one-month high as China renewed its commitment to support the steel sector by curbing excess capacity. Economic planners at the National People’s Congress signaled plans for orderly reductions in steel output capacity, a move that could lift steel prices and improve profit margins. This in turn may bolster demand for steel-making raw materials such as iron ore. Chinese steel mills continue to face pressure from persistent oversupply amid a prolonged property sector downturn, while steel exports are increasingly constrained by protectionist measures abroad. Meanwhile, Beijing set a 2026 GDP growth target of 4.5%–5%, the lowest since the early 1990s, as the country grapples with ongoing deflationary pressures and higher US tariffs. (Source: Trading Economics)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: March 2-6, 2026

Kuraray’s EVAL™ Resin Receives APR Recognition for Compatibility With PE Film Recycling

Kuraray America, Inc. has received the Association of Plastics Recyclers APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition for its EVAL™ ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) barrier resin, confirming the material’s compatibility with polyethylene (PE) film recycling streams. The recognition verifies that EVAL™ resin meets the requirements of APR’s FPE-CG-011 protocol when used in unprinted, unlaminated PE films containing up to 15% EVOH with a 1:1 ratio of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAH-g-PE) tie layers. The certification indicates that the material can be incorporated into flexible packaging without disrupting established recycling processes. “Receiving APR Design® for Recyclability Recognition demonstrates our commitment to developing materials that support a circular economy,” said Hans Vandommele, president of Kuraray America. EVAL™ resin is widely used in food packaging due to its strong oxygen barrier properties, which help extend shelf life and reduce food waste while supporting recyclable flexible packaging designs. (Source: Kuraray)

Comstock Metals Moves Ahead with Nevada Solar Panel Recycling Facility Commissioning

Comstock Inc. said major equipment for its first industry-scale solar panel recycling facility has arrived at its site in Silver Springs, Nevada, marking a key step toward commissioning a plant designed to process up to 100,000 tons of end-of-life panels annually. The project is being developed by subsidiary Comstock Metals LLC, which says it operates North America’s only certified zero-landfill recycling solution for solar modules. Installation, testing and system integration will continue through March and early April, with operations expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026. Company executives said proprietary precision-machined equipment, including shredding and material-separation systems, is being installed and calibrated as part of the commissioning process. The facility’s design allows individual processing units to be tested independently to speed startup. Separately, Comstock said it has submitted an operating permit application for a second integrated recycling facility planned in Clark County, Nevada. (Source: Comstock)

Amcor, DCM Roll Out Mono-Material Fertilizer Packs with 35% Recycled Content in Europe

Amcor has partnered with De Ceuster Meststoffen NV to launch recycle-ready polyethylene packaging for fertilizers in Europe, replacing a previous multi-material format that was not compatible with most recycling streams. The new mono-material PE film contains 35% post-consumer recycled content and is offered in pack sizes from 650 grams to 7 kilograms. According to the companies, life cycle assessment data indicate the switch reduces the packaging’s carbon footprint by 17%, supporting compliance with the European Union’s forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The structure combines machine-direction oriented polyethylene with a sealant layer to deliver moisture and gas protection, strength and shelf stability. DCM said the move aligns with its long-standing sustainability strategy, while Amcor said the format enables brands to meet recycled-content targets without compromising performance or presentation. (Source: Amcor)

Baltimore Launches ‘OOPS Tag’ Program to Cut Recycling Contamination

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works has introduced a citywide “OOPS Tag” initiative aimed at reducing contamination in curbside recycling and lowering processing costs. Under the program, sanitation crews will attach tags to recycling bins containing non-accepted materials. Residents must remove the flagged items before collection resumes on the next scheduled pickup day. Officials said contamination — including plastic bags, batteries, tangled hoses and wires, textiles, construction debris and food-soiled containers — can cause entire truckloads of recyclables to be diverted to disposal. DPW Director Matthew Garbark said the effort is designed to improve material quality and ensure public resources are used efficiently. The department reminded residents that only clean paper and cardboard, metal cans, plastic bottles and containers, and glass bottles and jars are accepted. All items must be empty, clean and dry before being placed in recycling bins. (Source: City of Baltimore)

PyroGenesis Completes Initial Plasma Testing with Battery Recycler

PyroGenesis Inc. said it has successfully completed a primary testing campaign with a large-scale battery recycling company, marking a step forward in efforts to electrify high-temperature processes used in lithium-ion battery recovery. The Montreal-based company said the tests evaluated its high-temperature plasma technology as a replacement for fossil fuel-based heating in the recovery of materials such as nickel, cobalt, copper and lithium compounds. Engineers from the unnamed recycler observed the trials at PyroGenesis’ facilities, and material samples have been sent for further validation of yield and chemical performance. The companies may conduct additional testing before the end of the second quarter of 2026. If development proceeds, the recycler could purchase an initial 1-megawatt plasma torch system, with potential follow-on orders for higher-capacity units. PyroGenesis cautioned that no purchase commitments have been made. (Source: PyroGenesis)

REGOM and PLANNEX Announce Strategic Commercial Partnership in India

REGOM and PLANNEX have entered into a strategic commercial partnership focused on advancing tyre recycling capabilities in the Indian market. With the expertise in advanced tyre sorting technologies from REGOM and recycling operations, and a focus on sustainable waste management from PLANNEX, the partnership is designed to improve sorting efficiency and data-driven decision-making, while delivering more traceable tyre management solutions across India. By combining industrial processing performance with enhanced data insights, REGOM and PLANNEX intend to improve material recovery rates, reduce environmental impact and support responsible recycling practices aligned with circular economy principles. The agreement represents a step toward the development of more intelligent, scalable and sustainable tyre recycling systems in India, as both organisations seek to strengthen resource efficiency and long-term value creation within the sector. (Source: Tyre & Rubber)

Evergreen Recycling to Close Ohio, New York Plants; 165 Jobs Cut in Clyde

Evergreen Recycling LLC will permanently shut its plastics recycling facility in Clyde, Ohio, eliminating 165 jobs, after its revolving credit lender withdrew funding and seized company cash, the firm said in a state filing Tuesday. A second plant in Albany, New York, will also close. Most layoffs are scheduled for Feb. 24, with all terminations expected by April 24 under a Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification filing. In Clyde, affected workers include 103 operations employees, along with staff in maintenance, quality, logistics, finance, IT and management. The company employs 247 people across the two sites. Evergreen said its lender swept cash on Feb. 13 and later indicated it would take control of working capital and stop financing operations, leaving no option but to cease activities immediately. The company said it had been pursuing potential buyers. (Source: WTOL 11)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: March 2-6, 2026

CalRecycle Releases 2026 Plan to Support SB 54 Plastic Reduction Targets

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery has issued a new report outlining the actions and investments needed to meet the state’s legally mandated reductions in single-use plastic packaging. The report supports implementation of the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, which establishes an extended producer responsibility framework for packaging and plastic food service ware sold in California. Titled 2026 An Analysis of Actions and Investments Needed to Achieve Source Reduction, the study forms the second technical component of CalRecycle’s statewide needs assessment under SB 54. It analyzes packaging material flows, identifies redesign strategies to reduce plastic use, and estimates costs associated with achieving mandated reduction targets. SB 54 requires producers to cut the volume of single-use plastics entering California’s market while improving recycling, reuse, and composting outcomes over the coming decade. The report also outlines potential funding mechanisms and infrastructure investments that producers and responsibility organizations may use to meet compliance requirements. (Source: CalRecycle)

Countries Hold Informal Talks in Japan to Revive Global Plastics Treaty Effort

Officials from about 20 countries are meeting in Japan for three days of informal discussions aimed at reviving stalled negotiations toward a global treaty on plastic pollution. The closed-door talks, hosted by Japan’s environment ministry and running through Tuesday, bring together working-level delegates from major economies and oil-producing nations. According to a Japanese official, the meeting is intended to encourage progress but is not expected to produce any formal outcome. Efforts to finalize a treaty have faced repeated setbacks, including the collapse of negotiations in South Korea in 2024 and another failed round in Geneva last August. Participants expected in Tokyo include the United States, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Russia and representatives from the European Union, as well as island states such as Antigua and Barbuda and Palau. Julio Cordano, recently elected chair of the negotiating process, warned that plastic pollution is a global problem requiring urgent action. Worldwide plastic production exceeds 400 million metric tons annually, with roughly half used for single-use products. (Source: The Japan Times)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: March 2-6, 2026