Prices for post-consumer PET, HDPE and PP climbed higher in April, while mixed paper and OCC remained stable. Most curbside material grades are trading for prices they haven’t reached since at least last summer.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars moved up again this month, now averaging 14.22 cents per pound, compared to 12.81 cents per pound this time last month. Some regional contracts are yielding 14-17 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at 14.27 cents per pound.
The national average price of post-consumer natural HDPE is up marginally, now at an average 30.63 cents per pound. This compares to 29.81 cents for high-density polyethylene last month and 74.03 cents this time last year.
The national average price of color HDPE is up this month, now at an average 20.50 cents per pound. This compares to 19.69 cents last month and 14.63 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PP is up this month, from 4.88 to 5.94 cents per pound. Polypropylene was 8.94 cents one year ago.
In major fiber grades, the national average price for corrugated containers, PS 11, remains steady this month at an average $104-$105 per ton. This compares to $39 per ton this time last year.
Mixed paper, PS 54, is also firm at $63 per ton. This compares to $8 per ton this time last year.
The national average price for sorted, baled UBCs is at 65.81 cents per pound, compared to 65.69 last month. It was 71 cents per pound of aluminum cans this time last year.
Sorted residential papers, PS 56, are unchanged in the $77 per ton range. This compares to
$25 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers, PS 37, dropped $3, now at $138 per ton. This compares to an average $193 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film moved up again, now at 16.63 cents per pound.
It traded at 15.06 cents last month and 16.94 cents one year ago.
Grade B film is now 7.44 cents, up from 7.13 last month.
Grade C film remains at a nominal 0.13 cents per pound.
The price for sorted, baled steel cans remains constant in the $214 per ton range. The price was $244 per ton one year ago.
These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing 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, recyclingmarkets.net. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or call 330-956-8911.
