The Recycled LDPE Price Trend in Q2 2026 has shown a clear upward movement in both India and Germany. The market has been supported by tighter film scrap availability, steady demand from packaging and agricultural film manufacturers, and higher costs for virgin LDPE. Recycled LDPE prices have moved differently across regions, but the overall direction has been firm. Looking ahead, the Recycled LDPE Price Forecast will largely depend on scrap collection, converter demand, logistics, and the price relationship between recycled and virgin LDPE.
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Recycled LDPE, also known as recycled low-density polyethylene, is widely used in products such as packaging films, agricultural films, liners, bags, and other flexible plastic applications. Because the material comes from collected and processed plastic waste, its price does not depend only on crude oil or virgin polymer prices. Scrap availability, collection costs, sorting, washing, processing, and transportation can all influence the final market price.
During Q2 2026, the recycled LDPE market experienced stronger price growth than many buyers had expected. India recorded a particularly strong increase, while Germany also saw a healthy rise. The main reason behind this movement was limited film scrap availability. When recyclers cannot collect enough suitable scrap, their production costs can increase and the availability of recycled granules and pellets becomes tighter.
At the same time, demand remained reasonably strong. Packaging companies and agricultural film converters continued to purchase recycled material, which helped support prices through much of the quarter.
India experienced one of the strongest movements in the recycled LDPE market during Q2 2026. Natural recycled LDPE granules on an Ex-Mumbai basis increased by around 36% during the quarter. This was a significant rise and reflected a combination of supply pressure and stable downstream demand.
One of the biggest factors was the availability of film scrap. Recyclers depend heavily on a regular supply of suitable plastic waste. During the quarter, seasonal collection disruptions and logistical difficulties reduced the amount of film scrap reaching recyclers. When collection becomes difficult, recyclers have to compete more actively for available material.
This situation can quickly affect Recycled LDPE prices. Even if demand does not increase dramatically, lower feedstock availability can push prices higher because recyclers need to cover higher procurement and processing costs.
Another important factor was the movement in virgin LDPE costs. Higher crude oil and ethylene costs increased the replacement cost of virgin plastic. As virgin LDPE became more expensive, recycled LDPE became a more attractive option for some packaging and agricultural film manufacturers.
Germany also recorded a strong increase, although the rise was more moderate than in India. Translucent recycled LDPE pellets on an FD Hamburg basis increased by approximately 16% during Q2 2026.
The German market received support from continued demand for recycled content in packaging. European regulations and recycled-content requirements have encouraged many manufacturers to increase the use of recycled plastics where technically and commercially possible. This has created a steady base of demand for recycled LDPE.
At the same time, film scrap availability remained tight. Recyclers in Germany faced pressure from limited feedstock availability, which restricted production flexibility. When supply is limited while buyers continue looking for material, sellers generally have stronger pricing power.
The relationship between recycled and virgin LDPE prices also supported the market. Higher virgin replacement costs made recycled material more competitive, helping recycled LDPE prices remain firm even when the broader virgin polymer market began to weaken.
Although Q2 showed strong gains, the market did not continue rising at the same speed throughout the entire quarter. June brought a small correction in both India and Germany.
In India, recycled LDPE prices eased by around 2% in June. This decline was relatively limited because scrap collection improved only slightly, while demand from packaging and agricultural film applications remained resilient.
Germany recorded a somewhat larger but still moderate correction of around 4%. The decline remained much smaller than the sharp correction seen in virgin LDPE during the same period. This difference is important because recycled LDPE has its own supply and demand structure.
The recycled market is strongly influenced by the availability of post-consumer and post-industrial film scrap. Therefore, a decline in virgin polymer prices does not always result in an equally large decline in recycled material prices.
Scrap availability is one of the most important factors behind the Recycled LDPE Price Trend. Unlike virgin LDPE, which is produced from petrochemical feedstocks through large-scale industrial processes, recycled LDPE depends on the collection of used plastic.
The quality of collected scrap also matters. Clean and properly sorted film scrap is generally more useful to recyclers than heavily contaminated material. If recyclers have to spend more money on sorting, cleaning, and processing, their overall production costs rise.
Transportation is another part of the equation. Recyclers often collect material from different locations and transport it to processing facilities. Higher freight costs or delays can reduce margins and make the final recycled product more expensive.
For buyers, this means that watching only crude oil or virgin LDPE prices is not enough. Scrap collection conditions can sometimes have a stronger short-term effect on recycled LDPE prices.
Packaging remains an important source of demand for recycled LDPE. Flexible packaging manufacturers use LDPE-based materials for different types of films, bags, liners, and other applications. As companies look for ways to increase recycled content, demand for suitable recycled grades can remain stable.
Agricultural film is another important application, particularly in markets where plastic films are widely used in farming. Agricultural films can generate large amounts of plastic waste after use, but collecting and processing this material can be challenging.
When demand from packaging and agriculture stays strong at the same time that scrap availability becomes tight, recycled LDPE prices can rise quickly. This was one of the key characteristics of the Q2 2026 market.
The Indian and German markets followed the same broad direction but showed different levels of price movement. India recorded a much stronger quarterly increase of 36%, while Germany posted a 16% gain.
This difference shows why recycled plastic markets should be viewed region by region. Local scrap collection systems, recycling capacity, transportation conditions, regulations, energy costs, and buyer demand can all create different pricing conditions.
India's sharp increase was strongly connected with tighter film scrap collection and resilient domestic demand. Germany's market benefited more from regulatory support for recycled content, steady converter demand, and limited scrap availability.
Therefore, a single global price assumption may not accurately describe the recycled LDPE market.
The Recycled LDPE Price Forecast for the coming period will depend heavily on how quickly scrap collection improves and whether demand from packaging and agricultural film converters remains stable.
If scrap availability improves significantly, some of the supply pressure could ease. This could prevent another sharp increase and allow prices to move into a more balanced range. However, if collection remains difficult, recyclers may continue facing higher feedstock costs.
Virgin LDPE prices will also remain an important reference point. If virgin prices remain expensive, recycled LDPE can continue to offer an attractive cost and sustainability advantage to some buyers. On the other hand, a prolonged decline in virgin LDPE could reduce the price premium that recycled material can command.
Regulatory developments, especially in Europe, may provide additional support for recycled material demand. Companies that need to meet recycled-content targets may continue purchasing recycled LDPE even when broader polymer markets become softer.
The Q2 2026 Recycled LDPE Price Trend shows how strongly recycled plastics can respond to changes in scrap supply and downstream demand. India recorded a remarkable 36% increase, while Germany saw a 16% rise. Both markets were supported by tight film scrap availability, steady demand, and higher virgin LDPE replacement costs.
The small June correction in both markets suggests that prices may be moving toward a more balanced phase rather than continuing their earlier rapid rise. However, the market remains sensitive to collection conditions, logistics, virgin polymer prices, and demand from packaging and agricultural applications.
For buyers and sellers, keeping track of Recycled LDPE prices requires looking beyond crude oil and virgin polymer markets. Scrap availability and recycling economics are equally important. The Recycled LDPE Price Forecast therefore remains dependent on how supply conditions and recycled-content demand develop in the months ahead.
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