Several categories of curbside paper have risen in price this month, and the value of natural HDPE bales has jumped by 22%.
The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) is up marginally this month, at an average of $57 per ton, compared to $55 per ton last month. The OCC grade was trading for around $27 per ton one year ago and at a high of $180 in July 2017. OCC hit a recent high of $107 per ton in May, driven by supply and demand changes caused by COVID-19 shutdowns.Â
The largest residential garbage and recyclables haulers in North America reported that higher second-quarter OCC prices helped boost their revenues.Â
Sorted residential papers (PS 56) are up again, this time by 20%. This fiber grade is now averaging nearly $33 per ton, compared with $27 per ton last month and $104 in August 2017.Â
Sorted office papers (PS 37) are down 26%, now trading at $103 per ton, compared with a $139-per-ton average last month. The current price is still higher than a year ago, when the grade traded for $101 per ton.
Mixed paper (PS 54) is at an average price of $12.50 per ton, compared with $11.25 per ton last month.Â
The national average price of natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs is up 22% this month, now trading at an average of 44.44 cents per pound, compared to 36.50 cents last month and 20.34 cents one year ago.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans is steady this month, at 39.81 cents per pound. That compares with 39.19 cents last month. It was 54.81 cents per pound in July 2019.
Baled steel cans remain at $79.06 per ton, compared to an average of $79.25 per ton last month and $121.25 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of PET beverage bottles and jars remained steady this month. It is currently at 7.19 cents per pound, compared to 7.13 cents per pound this time last month. This compares to 13.91 cents per pound one year ago and a recent high of 17.00 cents per pound in July 2018.
 The price of color HDPE is up slightly again this month, now trading at 3.83 cents per pound, compared to 3.71 cents this time last month and 10.08 cents last year.
 The national average price of polypropylene (PP) materials is up slightly. It is now at 4.69 cents per pound, compared with 3.69 cents last month. PP traded at 12.38 cents per pound one year ago.
 The national average price of Grade A and B film is lower this month. Grade A film is now at 6.81 cents, down from 7.00 cents per pound last month. Grade B Film is now at 3.56 cents per pound, compared to 3.81 cents last month. Grade C film remains 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 cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or 330-956-8911.
