MOSCOW (MRC) -- The American Chemistry Council (ACC) urged G20 leaders to lift tariffs and export restrictions to improve access to the products necessary to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, reported Kemicalinfo.
American Chemistry Council (ACC) President and CEO, Chris Jahn, in response to the virtual G20 summit, said, "US chemicals manufacturers are calling for G20 leaders to increase international coordination and prioritize multilateral responses to the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Healthcare workers and workers in essential industries around the globe are in dire need of products and equipment that can help save lives, and chemicals and plastics have been recognized for their critical role in efforts to ramp up the production and distribution of those products."
"Life-saving products belong in the hands of the heroes who are saving lives - both in the United States and around the globe. We urge G20 leaders to fortify the global supply chains that make these products possible by lifting tariffs and export restrictions and avoiding barriers to trade that will otherwise impede efforts to save lives," he added.
As MRC wrote previously, ACC’s US chemical production regional index (CPRI) declined by 0.2% in February, following a 0.1% gain in January and 0.2% dip in December. Output declined in all regions of the country except the Gulf Coast, ACC says.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,093,260 tonnes in 2019, up by 6% year on year. Shipments of all PE grades increased. PE shipments rose from both domestic producers and foreign suppliers. The estimated PP consumption in the Russian market was 1,260,400 tonnes in January-December 2019, up by 4% year on year. Supply of almost all grades of propylene polymers increased, except for statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers).
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