SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: March 30-April 3, 2026

April 03, 2026

Gold Holds Weekly Gains, But Rising Oil and Rate Fears Cap Upside

While gold prices look set to start the long weekend with another weekly gain, analysts note that the market is still trying to find balance amid elevated volatility driven by the ongoing chaos in the Middle East. Gold prices are on track to end the week with a 3% gain, with prices above $4,600 an ounce; however, the precious metal hit a brick wall on Wednesday and Thursday, with prices unable to break resistance at $4,800 an ounce. Analysts said the price action indicates that the precious metal remains caught in a tug-of-war due to the U.S. and Israel’s joint conflict with Iran. Through most of the week, gold and silver saw renewed bullish momentum as investors held out hope that the war would be resolved soon. (Source: Kitco News)

Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD Falls to Near $73.00 on Central Banks’ Hawkish Policy Odds

Silver price (XAG/USD) remains in the negative territory after experiencing volatility, trading around $73.10 during the Asian hours on Friday. The dollar-denominated Silver comes under pressure as a stronger US Dollar (USD), driven by safe-haven demand, makes the white metal costlier for foreign buyers. Trading activity may remain subdued due to the Good Friday holiday. Non-interest-bearing Silver remains under pressure as hawkish central bank expectations for 2026 intensify. Rising energy prices tied to Middle East tensions reinforce inflation concerns, supporting tighter policy outlooks and reducing the appeal of precious metals that offer no yield. (Source: FXStreet)

Amp Expands Virginia Facility to Boost MSW Processing Under SPSA Deal

Amp has increased processing capacity at its Portsmouth, Virginia facility to 108,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually, supporting its 20-year partnership with the Southeastern Public Service Authority. The expansion follows facility upgrades and acceptance testing of its AI-powered sortation system. Under a 2025 agreement, Amp will process waste from eight member communities, with the broader system designed to scale to 540,000 tons annually, including additional sortation lines and organics management. The integrated system is expected to divert at least half of the incoming waste from landfill while increasing material recovery. The project is creating about 100 local jobs and includes plans for additional facilities to recover recyclables and convert organic waste into biochar, supporting long-term landfill reduction and carbon removal initiatives. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Avena Acquires Race Recycling to Expand UK Textile Recycling Capacity

Avena Group has acquired Race Recycling, combining what it describes as the only two UK firms dedicated exclusively to specialist textile destruction. The deal positions Avena as a national leader in the segment while expanding its infrastructure and expertise. Race Recycling’s operations in Glossop will be retained and integrated into Avena’s network. The UK generates around 1.45 million metric tons of textile waste annually, creating demand for secure and sustainable end-of-life solutions. Avena said the acquisition supports zero-to-landfill textile diversion and helps address increasing corporate focus on Scope 3 emissions, brand protection and compliance. The company operates across textile recycling, document shredding and IT asset disposition, with facilities in the UK and France. (Source: Avena Group)

Closed Loop Partners Acquires Sutter Metals to Expand U.S. Metals Recycling Capacity

Closed Loop Partners has acquired a majority stake in Sutter Metals through its private equity group, aiming to strengthen domestic metals and critical minerals supply chains. The deal will support the expansion of Sutter Metals’ processing capabilities and geographic footprint across the United States. Based in the Seattle–Tacoma region, Sutter Metals specializes in collecting, sorting and processing high-value metals for remanufacturing, serving industries such as aerospace, automotive and electronics. The investment comes as significant volumes of scrap metals remain underutilized, despite rising demand for materials in key sectors. Closed Loop plans to grow the platform through a buy-and-build strategy, supported by mergers and acquisitions. Sutter Metals’ existing leadership will remain in place, with backing from Closed Loop’s network to scale operations and enhance circular metals processing infrastructure. (Source: Closed Loop Partners)

ReElement, Mitsubishi Materials Partner to Strengthen U.S. and Allied Critical Mineral Supply Chains

ReElement Technologies Corporation has announced a strategic collaboration with Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, including an investment to support the expansion of critical mineral refining capacity in the United States and allied markets. Backed by American Resources Corporation, ReElement will work with MMC to develop scalable refining and recycling solutions aimed at improving supply chain resilience. In the U.S., efforts will focus on feedstock sourcing, tolling and offtake to grow domestic refining operations, while in Japan the companies will explore commercializing recycling technologies using MMC’s infrastructure and ReElement’s chromatography-based refining platform. The collaboration targets bottlenecks in separating and purifying rare earths and critical minerals, offering a modular, lower-impact alternative to conventional methods and supporting localized, circular supply chains for industrial and defense applications. (Source: ReElement Technologies)

International Paper to Invest $225 Million in New Mississippi Packaging Plant

International Paper plans to build a 468,000-square-foot sustainable packaging facility in Rankin County, Mississippi, marking a $225 million greenfield investment aimed at strengthening its manufacturing footprint. The new plant will be located on an 80-acre site in Brandon, Mississippi, near the company’s existing Richland box facility, which will be replaced as operations transition to the new site. Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, with operations expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2027. The facility is designed to improve cost efficiency, reliability, and product quality while enhancing service capabilities across the Mid-South region. The investment follows a strategic review of operations and is intended to reduce structural costs and support growth in key markets. State officials, including Tate Reeves, said the project is expected to create jobs and support regional economic development. (Source: International Paper)

tozero Launches Battery Recycling Plant in Germany to Produce Lithium and Critical Materials

tozero has launched its first industrial demonstration plant in Bavaria, enabling large-scale recovery of lithium, graphite and nickel-cobalt materials from end-of-life batteries. Located at Chemical Park Gendorf, the facility can process more than 1,500 tons of battery waste annually and produce high-purity lithium carbonate suitable for direct reuse in manufacturing. The plant was built in six months and uses a proprietary acid-free hydrometallurgical process to recover materials in a single cycle. The company has already validated its recycled lithium and graphite with battery manufacturers, supporting Europe’s push for greater raw material independence under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act. The facility will serve as a model for a planned full-scale commercial plant by 2030, as demand for battery materials continues to rise and recycling becomes a key supply source. (Source: tozero)

Aduro Clean Technologies Joins Chemical Recycling Europe to Support EU Circular Economy Push

Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. has joined Chemical Recycling Europe, an industry body focused on advancing chemical recycling through policy engagement, standards development and value chain collaboration. The move comes as Aduro progresses development of its first industrial-scale facility in Europe, to be located at the Chemelot industrial hub. Membership will enable the company to participate in shaping regulatory frameworks, certification systems and methodologies such as mass balance accounting and lifecycle assessment. These efforts align with evolving EU regulations, including the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which is expected to drive demand for certified recycled content. Aduro is advancing site development, technology licensing and initial commercial agreements for the facility, which aims to demonstrate industrial-scale deployment of its Hydrochemolytic technology and integration with existing petrochemical infrastructure. (Source: Aduro Clean Technologies)

BioSupPack Demonstrates Brewery Waste-to-Bioplastics Solutions for EU Packaging Rules

The EU-funded BioSupPack has demonstrated that brewery waste can be converted into high-performance bioplastics for sustainable packaging, supporting compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Over five years, the consortium developed and validated polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA/PHB) materials and scalable production processes, enabling the transformation of brewery spent grains into biodegradable and recyclable packaging. Coordinated by AIMPLAS and funded with €7.6 million under Horizon 2020, the project involved 18 partners across the value chain. Key outcomes include compostable fibre-based packaging, PHB materials for rigid applications, and enzymatic recycling technologies, reaching demonstration levels of TRL 6–7. The solutions are compatible with existing manufacturing systems and target applications in food, retail and consumer goods. The project’s results support EU goals for recyclable packaging by 2030 and provide scalable pathways to replace fossil-based plastics with circular, biobased alternatives. (Source: AIMPLAS)

Trump Keeps 50% Metals Tariffs, Eases Rules for Low-Content Imports

Donald Trump’s administration will maintain 50% tariffs on many imported steel, aluminum and copper products while restructuring the system to simplify compliance and ease burdens on some businesses. Under the revised rules, goods containing less than 15% of these metals will be effectively exempt, while certain derivative products deemed “substantially made” of the metals will face a reduced 25% tariff. Products manufactured abroad using entirely U.S.-sourced metals will be subject to a 10% rate, and some industrial and grid equipment will face 15% tariffs through 2027. Despite the changes, many products, including steel pipe, will still face the full 50% levy, applied to the total product value. The overhaul follows industry lobbying over complex rules and aims to support domestic manufacturing while improving clarity under Section 232 trade measures. (Source: Bloomberg)

TechnoServe and Coca-Cola Foundation Expand Nigeria Recycling Program with PReP 2.0

TechnoServe and The Coca-Cola Foundation have launched PReP 2.0, the second phase of their plastic recycling initiative in Nigeria, aimed at scaling an inclusive recycling system and strengthening livelihoods. Building on earlier results in Lagos and Anambra, where over 59,000 metric tons of plastic waste were diverted and 10,000 livelihoods supported, the new phase will expand to Kano State. PReP 2.0 targets the creation or improvement of 2,400 additional jobs and the diversion of 32,000 metric tons of plastic waste. The program will focus on strengthening market collaboration, improving recycling efficiency, and expanding access to financing through partnerships with financial institutions and local stakeholders. It also emphasizes gender inclusion and environmental education, as Nigeria seeks to address growing plastic waste challenges and advance a more sustainable recycling economy. (Source: Premium Times Nigeria)