December 2016

Published: January 10, 2017
Updated: January 23, 2017
by Editorial Staff

Features from the December 2016 print edition:

Subscribe today for access to all print content.

Subscribe today for weekly updates

The latest recycling industry news

Containerboard prices begin slow recovery
The North American containerboard industry is slowly recovering from a post-COVID inventory contraction and demand is expected to bounce back at a “modest” 0.53% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2027, according to Rabobank’s Q3 2025 report.
California’s 2024 carpet recycling rate exceeds annual goal
California’s carpet recycling rate has improved for the fifth consecutive year, with Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) citing financial incentives, including grants, as a key driver of the continued growth.
Fiber, film, metal bales stable while plastics continue to drop
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars dropped again in September, now averaging 4.66 cents per pound, compared to 5.75 cents per pound this time last month.
Northeast commodity prices continued falling in Q2
In the Northeast, recycled commodity prices continued to decline in April-June, with MRFs experiencing an average decrease of nearly 6% compared to the first quarter of 2025, according to the Northeast Recycling Council’s (NERC) second-quarter MRF Values Survey Report.
Reopened Iowa plant recycles cartons into roofing materials
Editor’s Note: End markets will be featured in sessions at the 2026 Resource Recycling Conference, Feb. 23-25 in San Diego, California. The new owners of an Iowa roofing material facility have reopened the plant nearly a year after it shut down, aiming to capitalize on regional and national upcycling trends to gain market share.
Trump adds PET resin to ‘reciprocal’ tariffs
US President Donald Trump has expanded tariffs to include PET resin as of Sept. 8, according to a new executive order. The move drew comment from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) because of its expected impact on imported resin, but added uncertainty to the market.
Top stories from August 2025
An updated report on California access to carton recycling drew reader attention last month, as did stories covering the fiber sector in a high-cost environment, a lawsuit over Oregon’s new EPR law, recycled commodity prices and organic materials.