September is bringing some overall positive news for MRFs, with prices for recovered fiber taking a jump and plastics continuing to climb higher.

Curbside high-density polyethylene scrap prices continue to play the limbo game, with each month bringing even lower prices than the last.

Curbside high-density polyethylene scrap prices continue to play the limbo game, with each month bringing even lower prices than the last.

PET and HDPE scrap prices have taken a sudden crash this month, dropping by double-digit percentages.

PET and HDPE prices have taken a sudden crash this month, dropping by double-digit percentages. Luckily for MRFs, most everything else in the curbside mix is holding steady. 

June has brought a widespread drop in prices for baled post-consumer plastic, with PET, HDPE and PP all down significantly. 

June has brought generally bad news for MRFs, with prices for curbside plastics and metals tanking this month. The only real bright spots are the slow but continuing climbs in OCC and mixed paper prices.

Prices for bales of natural HDPE, color HDPE and PP have all continued increasing over the past month, though other plastics have seen values stay relatively flat.  The national average for natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs is up 9%. It is now trading for an average of 74.59 cents per pound. This compares with 68.72 cents last month...

OCC, mixed paper and polyolefin container prices have continued their upward climbs this month.

Prices for curbside scrap plastics have either crept upward or remained relatively flat this month.