Several curbside recyclables grades have enjoyed notable price increases this month, including OCC, mixed paper, UBCs, HDPE and PP.
The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) is up marginally again this month, at an average of $60 per ton, compared to $57 per ton last month. The OCC grade was trading for about $27 per ton one year ago and at a high of $180 in July 2017.
Sorted residential papers (PS 56) are up again by 16%. They are now averaging $38 per ton, compared with nearly $33 per ton last month.
Mixed paper (PS 54) is also up, at an average price of $18 per ton, compared with $13 per ton last month.
Sorted office papers (PS 37) are down again. They are now trading at $91 per ton, compared with an average of $103 per ton last month.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans is up 15% this month, at 45.75 cents per pound. That compared with 39.81 cents last month. UBCs traded at 54.81 cents a pound one year ago.
Steel cans are now at $78 per ton, compared to an average $79 per ton last month and $112 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars dropped 10% this month. PET is currently at 6.50 cents per pound, compared to 7.19 cents per pound this time last month. This compares with 10.72 cents per pound one year ago and a high of 17.00 cents per pound in July 2018.
The national average price for natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is up 24% again this month. It is now at an average 55.13 cents per pound, compared with 44.44 cents last month and 25.88 cents one year ago. In some regions, it is now trading as high as 60.00 cents per pound.
The average price of color HDPE skyrocketed this month. It is now trading at 8.63 cents per pound, with some regions paying 12.00 cents. It was 3.83 cents per pound last month.
The price of post-consumer polypropylene is up 12%. It is now at 5.25 cents per pound this month, compared with 4.69 cents last month.
The national average price of Grade A film is up 17% this month, now at 8.00 cents, compared with 6.81 cents per pound last month.
Grade B film is now at 3.50 cents per pound, compared to 3.56 cents last month.
Grade C film is at 1.06 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.
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.
More stories about EPR/stewardship
- Report: Retailer-led change helps shift bag behavior
- Comment period opens for final California EPR rules
- In nationwide first, California passes EPR for textiles
