Prices for all major curbside paper commodities held firm in August, bringing the second straight month without major changes in fiber values. It was a different story on the plastics side, where some grades saw major price fluctuations. 
The national average price of post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene, HDPE, from curbside collection programs is up over 20%, now at an average 43.06 cents per pound. This compares to 35.63 cents last month and 22.41 cents this time last year.
The national average price of color HDPE dropped heavily this month, to an average 8.88 cents per pound. This compares to 14.75 cents last month, and 5.81 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars moved up again this month, now averaging 18.27 cents per pound, compared to 17.27 cents per pound this time last month. Regional contracts are now yielding 19-21 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at 6.34 cents per pound.
The national average price of post-consumer PP is up marginally, from 6.50 cents to 7.31 cents per pound. PP was 5 cents one year ago.
The national average price for corrugated containers, PS 11, remains steady at an average $106 per ton. OCC was at $54 per ton this time last year.
Mixed paper, PS 54, remains unchanged at $70 per ton. This compares to $14 per ton this time last year.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans, UBCs, is steady at 75.94 cents per pound. It was 65 cents per pound this time last year.
The national average price of Grade A film remains constant, now at 18.25 cents per pound. It traded at 14.75 cents one year ago.
Grade B film remains firm at 7.88 cents.
Grade C film is now at a nominal 0.63 cents per pound.
Sorted, baled steel cans continue trading lower, still in the $153 per ton range, compared to $155 per ton last month. Steel cans averaged $212 per ton one year ago.
Sorted residential papers, PS 56, remain steady in the $85 per ton range. This compares to $28 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers, PS 37, remain unchanged at $126 per ton. This compares to an average $136 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.