This article appeared in the April 2023 issue of Resource Recycling. Subscribe today for access to all print content.
Each quarter, the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) analyzes prices for recycled materials, aggregating them to create a blended average ton value being seen at materials recovery facilities in the Northeast U.S. NERC publishes this data in its market reports, allowing MRF operators and other stakeholders to track the broad trends affecting their businesses.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, NERC found that the blended average value, including the negative value of residual disposal, dropped to $69.35 per ton, its lowest point of the year. This comes at the end of a precipitous decline, with only one quarter of the year showing an increase in price.