During the past year, the national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars rose steadily by 68 percent, from 8.6 cents per pound in March 2016 to the current 14.5 cents per pound.
In December 2016, the year-end national average PET price was 10.7 cents per pound. The first four months in 2017 yielded a price increase of 36 percent for this grade, averaging a 9-cent increase per month.
Most PET end users are predicting that the present market price range for this grade will remain strong during the second quarter.
Meanwhile the national average price of post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs has dropped 39.4 percent over the past month, from 32.9 cents per pound mid-April 2017 to the current 23.6 cents per pound.
Sorted residential papers (PS 56, formerly listed as PS8 News) dropped 32 percent over the past two months, from a national average high of $103 per ton in March 2017 to the current $78 per ton. One year ago, this common post-consumer grade traded at $66 per ton.
Old corrugated containers (PS 11), trading at a national average high of $160 per ton in March 2017, recently dropped 6 percent to the current national average of $151 per ton. One year ago, OCC was trading 75 percent lower at $86 per ton.
The national average for aluminum cans is currently 13 percent higher than one year ago. It is now at 65.5 cents per pound, compared to 58 cents per pound in May 2016.
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 at cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or 330-956-8911.
