A key curbside plastic grade has reached prices it hasn’t seen in over three years, while mixed paper and OCC values are holding steady this month.
The national average price of post-consumer natural HDPE from curbside collection programs moved up again, by 10%, to an average 90.88 cents per pound. This compares to 82.38 cents last month and 29.38 cents this time last year.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars remained steady this month, now averaging 16.36 cents per pound compared to 16.44 cents last month. Regional contracts are still yielding 17-19 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at an average 12.25 cents per pound.
The national average price of color HDPE remains steady this month at an average 5.81 cents per pound. This compares to 18.63 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PP moved up 46%, from 9.06 cents per pound to the current 13.25 cents. PP was 4.88 cents one year ago.
The national average price for old corrugated containers, PS 11, is up marginally, from $73 to an average $76 per ton. OCC averaged $94 per ton this time last year.
Mixed paper, PS 54, is also unchanged at $42 per ton. This compares to $56 per ton this time last year.
Sorted residential papers, PS 56, remain steady in the $60 per ton range. This compares to $69 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers, PS 37, are up $10 per ton, from $117 to $127 per ton, compared to an average $138 per ton one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film is up 5%, from 18.13 cents to 19.06 cents per pound. It traded at 14.19 cents one year ago.
Grade B film is up again marginally, from 7.75 to 7.81 cents per pound.
Grade C film is at a nominal 0.38 cents per pound.
The national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans is steady at 86.88 cents per pound, unchanged from last month. This grade traded for 61 cents per pound this time last year.
Sorted, baled steel cans are up marginally by $5 per ton, now trading for an average of $179 per ton. Steel cans averaged $215 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 [email protected] or call 330-956-8911.