Market pricing for post-consumer plastics has remained relatively flat over the past month.
The national average price of PET beverage bottles and jars dropped by 2% from mid-June to mid-July. The price is currently at 7.13 cents per pound, down from 7.27 cents per pound this time last month. This compares with 15.03 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs remains relatively unchanged this month, at an average 36.50 cents per pound. A year ago this grade was priced at 20.47 cents per pound.
The national average price of color HDPE is up slightly again this month. It is now trading at 3.71 cents per pound, compared to 3.68 cents per pound this time last month and 11.28 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of polypropylene (PP) remained steady at 3.69 cents per pound this month. PP traded at 12.44 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film remains unchanged this month, at 7.00 cents per pound.
Grade B film dropped slightly, from 4.00 cents per pound to 3.81 cents, compared with 4.31 cents one year ago.
Grade C film is 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.
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.
