If threatened tariffs against Mexico and Canada are implemented, trade volumes of U.S. plastic scrap could be impacted. | HuguetteRoe/Shutterstock
Although the potential effects – or even the likelihood – of threatened U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada are yet unknown, they’ve focused attention on the trade dynamics among the North American neighbors, including in post-consumer plastics.
Strong third-quarter commodity prices bolstered earnings for the nation’s top five haulers. | Courtesy of Republic Services
North America’s five largest publicly traded garbage and recycling companies recently reported quarterly financial results, reaching record revenues and margins.
Although third-quarter revenues reached record levels for some of the nation’s top five publicly traded haulers, plummeting fiber pricing in October was an indicator for commodity values heading into 2025. | Huguette Roe/Shutterstock
Although third-quarter commodity prices contributed to record quarterly revenues and margins for North America’s largest garbage and recycling companies, their outlook has changed moving into the final stretch of the year. Continue Reading
Rebound members can now trade more recycled materials on the platform, including plastics, metal, glass, OCC and e-scrap. | New Africa/Shutterstock
After starting in plastics, an online recycled material trading platform is expanding into glass, metal, rubber, OCC and paper and will soon add e-scrap. Continue Reading
Panelists at the 2024 E-Scrap Conference provided insight into issues facing e-plastics, and their views on what lies ahead. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling
With domestic demand building slowly, U.S. processors must look to industries outside electronics manufacturing to absorb their e-plastics volumes, according to panelists at the recent E-Scrap Conference in Orlando. Continue Reading
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. 
A natural disaster and a potentially catastrophic dockworker strike have highlighted weaknesses in the supply chain. | TajdidProtik/Shutterstock
Even as the U.S. Southeast continues to clean up after Hurricane Helene, the western coast of Florida is bracing for Milton, which is expected to be the second category 5 storm in less than two weeks to hit the area.
Average prices for blended residential commodities rose by 5% to 6% during the quarter, according to data collected from 15 MRFs in the Northeast. | Warut Chinsai/Shutterstock
Average commodity prices for April-June 2024 were higher by about 40% on the year, marking their highest level since the second quarter of 2022, according to the latest MRF Values Survey Report from the Northeast Recycling Council. Continue Reading
Baled clamshells in Ridwell’s Portland facility on Aug. 15, 2024, awaiting shipment to a downstream processor. | Marissa Heffernan/Resource Recycling.
As more consumers turn a skeptical eye to traditional recycling programs, Ridwell, a company that provides curbside collection of hard-to-recycle materials, is growing into numerous markets across the country. And the company is doing it with transparency in mind. Continue Reading
Although companies may be shifting to a broader carbon-footprint strategy, PCR production still needs to increase several times over, a recent RaboResearch report said | RecycleMan/Shutterstock
Brand owner targets for PCR content have helped drive demand for recycled plastics in the U.S. and Europe in recent years, but PCR production needs to increase as much as fivefold to meet those goals, according to a recent RaboResearch report. Continue Reading