After climbing for four straight months, the price of OCC has fallen sharply this month. But the average value of mixed paper remains in double-digit positive numbers.
The national average for corrugated containers (PS 11) took a big drop this month, from its short-lived high of $107.19 last month to the current national average of $75.00 per ton. The OCC grade was trading at about $32 one year ago.Â
The OCC price started rising in February, continued its climb in March, and then surged in April and May. Supply and demand changes driven by the coronavirus pandemic were responsible for the increases.
Sorted Residential Papers (PS 56) are an average $23.13 per ton, compared to $23.44 per ton last month.
Mixed paper (PS 54) is at a national average price of $11.56 per ton, compared to $12.19 per ton last month. This grade has had negative value for much of the last year.
Sorted office papers (PS 37) dropped this month. They are now trading at $150.31 per ton, compared with an average of $174.38 per ton last month.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans is also unchanged this month, at 39.31 cents per pound. This compares to 56.44 cents per pound this time last year.
Steel cans dropped slightly and are now at a national average $81.75 per ton. That’s down from an average $83.75 per ton last month and $165.00 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of PET beverage bottles and jars dropped again this month, this time by 7%. The price is currently 7.27 cents per pound, down from 7.81 cents per pound this time last month. This compares to 15.53 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs remains unchanged this month, still at an average 36.00 cents per pound, compared with 20.84 cents one year ago.
The national average price of color HDPE is up slightly this month, now trading at 3.68 cents per pound, compared to 3.61 cents per pound this time last month and 13.75 cents per pound one year ago.
The national average price of polypropylene (PP) moved up to 3.69 cents per pound, compared with 3.00 cents last month. PP traded at 12.25 cents per pound one year ago.
 The national average price of Grade A film is trading lower again this month. It dropped from 7.56 cents in May to 7.00 cents per pound this month.
Grade B film remains constant at 4.00 cents per pound, compared to 4.31 cents one year ago.
Grade C film is unchanged at 1.38 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.Â
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 [email protected] or 330-956-8911.
