Over the past month, the price of baled PET containers has dropped by 12%, and natural HDPE continues to slide down from the record-high levels seen in January.
The national average price of PET beverage bottles and jars is 9.25 cents per pound, down from 10.47 cents per pound last month. This price compares with 15.54 cents per pound one year ago.Â
The natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) price dropped again this month, now at 33.44 cents per pound, compared with 37.13 cents this time last month. This grade traded at 21.88 cents per pound one year ago. In January 2020, natural HDPE hit a record high price of 59.47 cents, but it has been steadily decreasing since then.Â
The national average price of color HDPE also dropped this month, now trading at 4.28 cents per pound, compared with 7.38 cents per pound last month and 13.56 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of polypropylene remains constant at 5.69 cents per pound, compared with 10.88 cents per pound one year ago.
 The Grade A film price is slightly lower this month, falling from 8.88 cents to 8.25 cents per pound. Grade B film is 4.25 cents per pound, compared to 4.31 cents last month. Grade C film remains unchanged at 1.38 cents per pound.
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.Â
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 cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or 330-956-8911.
