Coronavirus: How the oil price crash is threatening the plastics recycling industry

Following a crash in oil prices brought about by the coronavirus, plastic reprocessing facilities are finding themselves struggling to stay afloat. Conor McGlone asks just how serious the problem is

by Conor McGlone
Plastics recycling firm Closed Loop was shut down in April 2015 after due to a drop oil prices, which made virgin plastics cheaper than recycled plastics. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Plastics recycling firm Closed Loop was shut down in April 2015 after due to a drop oil prices, which made virgin plastics cheaper than recycled plastics. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

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