SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: October 6-10, 2025

October 10, 2025

Gold on Track for Eight-Week Rally

Gold rose to around $3,980 per ounce on Friday, heading for its eighth consecutive weekly gain after notching a record high earlier in the week, supported by economic uncertainties and expectations of US rate cuts. New York Fed President John Williams said he was open to another rate cut, though concerns over rising inflation may complicate the decision. This echoed minutes from the latest FOMC meeting, which showed policymakers saw growing risks to the labor market but remained cautious about persistent inflation. Meanwhile, the US government shutdown, now in its second week, has delayed key data releases and continued to fuel market uncertainty. On Thursday, bullion retreated from its fresh $4,000 milestone as the US dollar strengthened and investors took profits following news that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire plan. (Source: Trading Economics)

HSBC Raises 2025 Average Silver Price Forecast to $38.56 Per Ounce

HSBC on Wednesday raised its average silver price forecasts for 2025 to $38.56 per ounce from $35.14 citing expectations for high gold prices, renewed investor demand, and anticipated volatile trading. The bank also raised its forecast for 2026 to $44.50 from $33.96 earlier and $40 from $31.79 for 2027. “We look for a wide $45.00-53.00/oz range for the remainder of 2025 and a wide $40.00-55.00/oz range next year with the highs likely coming in 1H’26 followed by moderating and falling prices in 2H’26 as London inventories build, gold prices are expected to moderate and greater physical supply is mobilized,” HSBC added. (Source: Reuters)

Copper Hits $11,000 a Ton for First Time Since May 2024

Copper prices hit $11,000 per metric ton on Thursday, a level not seen in over 16 months, as widespread disruption at mines sparks fears of a shortage of supply and attracts speculative inflows. Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 3.1% to hit the $11,000 mark, within striking distance of its all-time high of $11,104.50 set in May 2024, before pulling back to $10,970 as of 1336 GMT. (Source: Reuters)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: October 6-10, 2025

First Plastic Recycling Plant Begins Operation in Cox’s Bazar

The first-ever plastic recycling plant in Cox’s Bazar has officially begun operation with the aim of transforming single-use plastic waste into valuable resources. Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Mohammad Navid Shafiullah inaugurated the recycling facility at Mithachhari in Ramu upazila in the district. As one of the country’s top tourist destinations, Cox’s Bazar generates a massive volume of plastic waste every day. Studies show that about 34.5 tonnes of plastic waste are dumped indiscriminately each day in the town. Much of this consists of single-use plastics, polythene bags, packaging materials, polypropylene, and thin plastic films — all of which are difficult to recycle and have little or no market value. The newly launched recycling plant will process such materials into eco-friendly, durable, and visually appealing products such as sofas, benches, and strong poles. The recycling facility has been established under the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project, implemented by the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) with support from the World Bank and UNOPS. BRAC is executing the project in Cox’s Bazar in partnership with the municipality. The project is part of a regional initiative to tackle the severe problem of plastic pollution across South Asia. (Source: BSS News)

Metallium Executes MOU with Glencore, One of World’s Largest Recyclers of End-of-Life Electronics

Metallium Limited announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Flash Metals USA Inc., has executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a division of Glencore plc, one of the world’s largest diversified resource companies and a major recycler of end-of-life electronics, lithium-ion batteries, and other critical metal-containing products. The MOU, which is effective immediately, creates a framework for a potential long-term collaboration in electronic scrap supply and metal offtake in the United States. The commercial agreement is subject to negotiation and execution of final definitive agreements. It runs until the end of the year, unless extended or replaced by definitive agreements. (Source: PR Newswire)

Coexpan and Eslava to Produce Post-Consumer rPS Suitable for Food Contact

Coexpan, the rigid packaging business unit of Grupo Lantero, and Eslava are taking a decisive step towards the future of sustainable packaging with the launch of a pioneering project for recycling post-consumer polystyrene (rPS) to food-grade standards. Through the collaborative development of an innovative decontamination technology, currently at an advanced validation stage, both companies are laying the groundwork for the reintroduction of recycled polystyrene into the food circuit, complying with the most demanding safety and quality requirements. This advancement is a true example of the circular economy. Thanks to their decontamination system, a yoghurt cup can be turned back into another yoghurt cup, thus closing the product’s life cycle. The initiative is based on mechanical recycling, a system recognised by the European Union as the preferred route for being the most sustainable option with the lowest carbon footprint. (Source: COEXPAN)

Arcwood Environmental Strengthens US Midwest Presence with ERG Acquisition

Arcwood Environmental, a leader in sustainable waste management and environmental services, announced its acquisition of ERG Environmental, a Michigan-based provider of hazardous waste solutions, remediation services, and regulatory training. The acquisition strengthens Arcwood’s operational presence across the Great Lakes region and expands its capabilities in industrial environmental services, compliance support, and emergency response. (Source: Arcwood Environmental)

Crush Software Solutions Acquires Leading Car Recycling Operating System

Crush Software Solutions LLC announced it has acquired S3 Software Solutions LLC, developer of Crush, the largest yard management system used by more than 200 self-service auto recycling yards in the U.S. and Canada. S3 will operate as Crush Software Solutions LLC. Ryan Paterson will serve as chief executive officer and founder Dimitri Gerontis will serve as chief operating officer. Terms were not disclosed. The ownership group, led by people with deep roots in auto recycling, including the family offices of Tom D. Klauer Jr. and Kendig K. Kneen, is committing an additional $3 million to reengineer the platform, add new capabilities and return buying power to independent yards. Between the two, they have operated over 70 yards during the last three decades. “We have learned by operating our own yards that we can use the Crush software to teach our buyers to buy inventory that will yield far better results and thereby far more profits,” Klauer said. (Source: ACCESS Newswire)

PCA Closures in Pennsylvania, North Carolina Hit 168 Jobs

Packaging Corporation of America is closing multiple manufacturing sites before year’s end, the company revealed in Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices this month. PCA is closing a full-line plant in Allentown, Pennsylvania, come Dec. 1, impacting 60 employees. Weeks later, come Dec. 19, PCA plans to shutter a full-line plant in Salisbury, North Carolina, affecting 108 workers, the company informed the state on Oct. 3. (Source: Packaging Dive)

DS Smith and BSH Nazarje Reveal Fibre-Based Alternative to EPS in Blender Packaging

DS Smith and BSH Nazarje (part of the BSH Home Appliances Group) have partnered to develop a universal fibre-based packaging solution for Bosch hand mixers, replacing the previous Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS) inserts. The corrugated cardboard packaging solution, DS Smith Universal Protection for Household Blenders, replaces the previous protective Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS) inserts used for packaging the brand’s household blenders. BSH Nazarje says it produces up to 170,000 blenders annually, with each requiring two EPS inserts for packaging, and the new solution is anticipated to eliminate up to 340,000 pieces of EPS. The protective corrugated cardboard insert, Safe Shell, is designed to allow for the packaging and protection of three different hand mixer models. According to BSH Nazarje, the solution enables the company to achieve faster packing time on the production line and greater flexibility within the production process for facilitating customer orders, including rapid assembly of the corrugated cardboard protective inserts with optimum efficiency. (Source: Packaging Europe)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: October 6-10, 2025

China Tightens Rare Earth Export Controls, Targets Defence, Semiconductor Users

China tightened its rare earth export controls on Thursday, expanding restrictions on processing technology, unauthorised overseas cooperation and spelling out its intention to limit exports to overseas defence and semiconductor users. Exports of technology used to mine and process rare earths or make the associated magnets are barred without permission, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. Many of these technologies are already restricted and it was not immediately clear what the new rules will add. China added several rare earths and related material to its export control list in April, however Thursday’s announcement explicitly said licenses are unlikely to be granted for defence companies as well as certain users in the semiconductor sector. Chinese companies are also barred from working with companies overseas on rare earths without permission from the ministry. (Source: Reuters)

EU to Halve Steel Import Quotas to Preserve Domestic Industry

The European Commission proposed on Tuesday cutting tariff-free steel import quotas by almost half and a 50% duty for excess shipments in a bid to preserve viable steelmaking in the European Union. Due to rising imports and U.S. tariffs, EU steel producers are operating at only 67% of capacity and the new measures, in line with those reported by Reuters last week, are designed to push that up towards 80%. EU steel is currently protected by safeguards that cap imports of 26 steel grades, with 25% tariffs above those limits. However, they have steadily risen each year despite declining demand and, under World Trade Organization rules, must expire in mid-2026. The Commission is now proposing a tariff-free import volume of 18.3 million tons a year, down 47% from 2024 quotas, and a doubling of the out-of-quota duty to 50%, in line with Canada and the United States, though the latter's tariffs apply from the very first ton. The Commission said the quota volumes would match imports from 2013, when it says overcapacity began. The measures, which will require approval by EU governments and the European Parliament, will also require importers to show proof of the origin of their steel. (Source: Reuters )

Detroit City Council Backs Repeal of Michigan’s Ban-on-Bans for Plastic Bags

Detroit City Council unanimously passed a resolution to support the repeal of a state law that bars local jurisdictions from regulating plastic packaging. This so-called ban-on-bans, PA 389, was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2016 to keep municipalities from outlawing plastic bags and other containers. Councilmember Scott Benson, chairman of the city’s Green Task Force, said plastic bags are “the bane of our recycling attempts,” gumming up equipment. Microplastics and nanoplastics from broken-down plastic are a serious public health threat, he said. Detroit’s Office of Sustainability offered support for the resolution in a statement: “The repeal will allow municipalities to make thoughtful decisions about how to best manage materials and the costs they create.” (Source: Planet Detroit)

SUNSHINE RecycleFlash Weekly: October 6-10, 2025