17 Nov 2021 --- Plastics converters are facing a sharp rise in costs as major polymer producers incur surcharges from soaring energy prices throughout Europe. Trade associations warn of impending chaos, economic devastation and worsening environmental pollution if the situation is not addressed. A number of unforeseen circumstances, including drastic weather disruptions and the COVID-19 pandemic, have done serious harm to the European plastics industry in the past two years, according to the Polymers Alliance for Europe (PEA).