Prices for curbside plastics bales saw varying trends for October, with PP and natural HDPE rising 33% and 11%, respectively, but PET and color HDPE saw modest declines. 
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars dropped marginally on the month, averaging 17.59 cents per pound, compared to 18.34 cents per pound for September. Regional contracts are still yielding 19-20 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at 8.95 cents per pound.
The national average price of post-consumer natural HDPE from curbside collection programs is up 11%, to an average 49.63 cents per pound. This compares to 44.13 cents last month and 25.25 cents this time last year.
However, the national average price of color HDPE dropped this month and is now at an average 8.56 cents per pound, compared to 9.31 cents last month and 13.56 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PP is up 33%, now at 9.75 cents per pound, compared to 7.31 cents last month. PP was at 5 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film remains steady, at 18.13 cents per pound. It traded at 13.88 cents one year ago.
Grade B film also was steady at 7.94 cents.
Grade C film is at a nominal 0.63 cents per pound.
A version of this story appeared in Resource Recycling News on Oct. 15.
These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing 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, recyclingmarkets.net. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or call 330-956-8911.