Major curbside paper and plastic grades reach new highs

The average price of mixed-paper bales jumped up by 21% this month, and natural HDPE has notched another record value.

The national average price of mixed paper (PS 54) is over $28 per ton, compared with $23 per ton last month. The price hasn’t been this high in years; in fact, between February 2019 and April 2020 it languished in negative territory, only becoming a positive-value commodity again in May. Since then, it’s generally been on an upward trajectory. 

Additionally, natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs continues to rise again and has hit another record high. The national average price is now 62.97 cents per pound, compared with 61.63 cents last month and 51.75 cents one year ago. Last month’s price represented the previous high. 

The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) remains constant at an average $59 per ton. The OCC grade was trading for around $25 per ton one year ago.

Sorted residential papers (PS 56) remain constant this month, still averaging $40 per ton, compared with $10 per ton one year ago. 

Sorted office papers (PS 37) dropped again and are now trading at $83 per ton, compared with an average of $86 per ton last month.

The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans remains constant this month, at 45.81 cents per pound. This grade traded at 51.06 cents one year ago.

Sorted, baled steel cans are up marginally. They are now averaging $80 per ton, compared with an average $78 per ton last month and $100 per ton one year ago.

The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars moved up marginally this month. The price is currently at 6.30 cents per pound, compared to 6.17 cents per pound this time last month. This compares with 9.45 cents per pound one year ago.

The national average price of color HDPE is up again, now trading at 16.41 cents per pound, up from 14.59 cents last month. In some regions, prices for this grade are now around 20 cents a pound. 

The national average price of polypropylene materials moved up slightly and is now at 5.47 cents per pound. It was 5.38 cents last month and 7.06 cents one year ago.

 The national average price of Grade A film is up 6%. It is now trading for an average of 8.88 cents, compared with 8.38 cents per pound last month. 

Grade B film is now at 3.56 cents per pound, compared to 3.38 cents last month. 

Grade C film dropped to 0.81 cents, compared with 1.06 cents last month.

These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing (SMP) Index. This pricing represents what is being paid for post-consumer recyclable materials in a sorted, baled format, picked up at most major recycling centers. 

For a free trial to SMP’s Online Post-Consumer Pricing Index, visit the Recycling Markets website. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at [email protected] or 330-956-8911.