The price of post-consumer PET bales rose 37% over the past month. Meanwhile, the price of natural HDPE scrap crossed the $1 threshold for the first time.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars sits at 21.47 cents per pound, compared with 15.69 cents per pound this time last month. Some regions are trading as high as 26.00 cents per pound. California premium bales are trading in the range of 34 cents to 37 cents.
Post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs continues to reach new highs. The price for baled natural HDPE has now crossed the $1 threshold. As of this month, a pound is averaging 100.25 cents, compared with 89.31 cents last month. Several regions are reporting prices around $1.05 per pound. The price was 36 cents one year ago.
The national average price of color HDPE is also up again, now trading at 51.88 cents per pound, up from 38.44 cents last month. This compares with 3.63 cents this time last year.
The national average price of post-consumer polypropylene is now 35.38 cents per pound, compared to 33.31 cents last month and an average of 3.69 cents per pound one year ago.
Films also either increased or remained flat, depending on the grade.
The national average price of Grade A film is up, now at 18.06 cents, compared with 17.63 cents per pound last month and 7.00 cents one year ago.
Grade B film is now 7.13 cents, up from 6.56 cents per pound last month.
Grade C film remains at 0.88 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.
