Polystyrene and EPS: Feedstocks
Why benzene sets the cost of polystyrene
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.PS is almost all styrene, and styrene is about 0.79 t benzene and 0.28 t ethylene per tonne. Benzene dominates cost, so PS economics follow the aromatics chain and crude oil. Middle East and integrated Chinese styrene plants are lowest cost; non-integrated PS makers, like those in India, buy styrene at import parity and live on a conversion margin.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil Crude oil | about 1.0 t styrene per t GPPS; 0.9-0.95 t for HIPS and EPS (indicative); 0.79 t benzene and 0.28 t ethylene per t styrene (styrene tile) | monomer | about 80-90% of cash cost (indicative) | styrene tile; indicative |
| Polybutadiene rubber (HIPS) | about 0.07-0.10 t per t HIPS (indicative) | impact modifier | about 8-12% for HIPS (indicative) | indicative |
| Gas Natural gas | about 0.05-0.07 t per t EPS (indicative) | expands beads into foam | about 3-5% for EPS (indicative) | indicative |
| Br Bromine | about 0.5-1% by weight (indicative) | fire safety in insulation | about 1-3% (indicative) | indicative |
| Electricity and steam | about 0.15-0.25 MWh and some heat per t (indicative) | polymerisation, devolatilisation, drying | about 3-5% (indicative) | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Styrene sets the cost: about 0.79 x benzene plus 0.28 x ethylene plus $100-150/t conversion (styrene tile). With Asian styrene at $1,030/t on 2 Mar 2026 (Platts), a non-integrated PS maker needs roughly $1,150-1,250/t to cover costs (indicative). Integrated Gulf and Chinese styrene-PS sites are lowest cost.