For MRFs, October has brought generally positive pricing news, with curbside paper and plastic grades increasing in value. 
In fibers, all of the grades are either up or flat this month. The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) has increased again, by $10 per ton. As of October, the price is $73 per ton. This compares with $40 per ton this time last year.
OCC has been on a steady march upward all year long, climbing from a low of $29 it dropped to in December 2022.
Meanwhile, mixed paper prices are also up. Mixed paper (PS 54) is at $28 per ton, up from $22 last month. This compares with $0 per ton this time last year.
Sorted residential papers (PS 56) are up again $6, now around $42 per ton. This compares with $35 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers (PS 37) remain unchanged, at $132 per ton. This compares with an average $284 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars is up again this month. PET is now averaging 8.80 cents per pound, compared with 7.41 cents per pound this time last month. Some regional contracts are still yielding as high as 12.00 cents per pound. This grade has now reached levels of one year ago, when it was trading at 8.50 cents per pound.
Similarly, natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs has moved up and is now averaging 25.13 cents per pound. This compares with 23.75 cents last month and 44.56 cents this time last year.
Color HDPE has followed natural. This grade is now averaging 12.38 cents per pound, compared with 9.91 cents last month and 6.41 cents one year ago.
Polypropylene (PP) is now trading at 5.06 cents per pound, compared to 5.00 cents last month. PP was 8.38 cents one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film dropped from 14.75 to 13.88 cents per pound. It traded at 19.50 cents one year ago.
Grade B film remains unchanged at 6.88 cents.
Grade C film remains at a nominal 0.13 cents per pound.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans dropped over the past month, from 65.00 cents to about 61.8 cents per pound. It was 67.75 cents per pound this time last year.
Sorted, baled steel cans remain unchanged at $211 per ton. The price was $188 per ton one year ago.
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 recyclingmarkets.net. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at [email protected] or call 330-956-8911.