Single-Use Plastics Make a Comeback on Pandemic Fears (1)

A renewed commitment to hygiene is propping up sales of previously out-of-favor plastics like polystyrene, as consumers relegate environmental priorities while trying to stay clear of the coronavirus.

For a plastics industry that’s grappling with a drop in demand for household goods and cars, the resurgence is a welcome break. Germany’s Ineos Styrolution and U.S.-based Trinseo SA are both seeing double-digit percentage sales increases in the food packaging and health-care industries.

Kevin McQuade

Source: Styrolution

“We didn’t see this coming at all,” Kevin McQuade, chief executive officer of Styrolution, the world’s largest maker of polystyrene, said in an interview. “We really saw ...