Natural and color HDPE prices rose higher this month, continuing an upward trend that began last fall. Paper grades increased marginally as well.
The national average price of post-consumer natural HDPE is up to an average 32.44 cents per pound. This compares to 30.63 cents for high-density polyethylene last month and 74.59 cents this time last year.
The national average price of color HDPE is up this month, now at an average 23.94 cents per pound. This compares to 20.50 cents last month and 16.09 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars moved up again this month, now averaging 15.09 cents per pound compared to 14.22 cents per pound this time last month. Some regional contracts are yielding 16-18 cents per pound. One year ago the grade was trading at 14.20 cents per pound.
The national average price for corrugated containers, PS 11, is up marginally, now at an average $106 per ton compared with $105 last month. At this time last year, OCC was trading for $44 per ton.
Mixed paper, PS 54, is also up $5, now at $68 per ton. This compares to $8 per ton this time last year.
The national average price for sorted, baled UBCs is at 69.81 cents per pound, compared to 65.81 for aluminum cans last month. It was 71 cents per pound this time last year.
The national average price of post-consumer PP is steady this month, at 6 cents per pound. Polypropylene was 10.25 cents one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film is up marginally, now at 17.63 cents per pound. It traded at 16.63 cents last month, and 17.44 cents one year ago.
Grade B film is now 7.5 cents, compared to 7.44 last month and 7.8 one year ago.
Grade C film is a nominal 0.13 cents per pound.
Sorted, baled steel cans are trading in the $214 per ton range, compared to $244 per ton one year ago.
Sorted residential papers, PS 56, are up $5 now in the $82 per ton range. This compares to $25 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers, PS 37, dropped $9, now at $126 per ton. This compares to an average $178 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.