Our monthly markets update shows OCC is still selling at record levels, and other fiber grades have seen notable upticks. Plastics is more of a mixed big, however.
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Our monthly markets update shows OCC is still selling at record levels, and other fiber grades have seen notable upticks. Plastics is more of a mixed big, however.
Will Sagar
Today’s smartphones automatically find your location on a map. Not so for state and local government leaders planning sustainable materials management (SMM). The variances in data reporting from state to state make comparisons and benchmarking difficult.
Susan Collins
The Container Recycling Institute (CRI) commends PepsiCo for recent statements from Vice President Roberta Barbieri supporting the value of bottle bills for producing clean materials for bottle-to-bottle recycling. However, it is important to point out inaccuracies in Ms. Barbieri’s statements, particularly about the cost-effectiveness of bottle bills (container deposit laws).
Juri Freeman
I wish to depart the National Recycling Coalition by sharing some of what I learned while on the board, as well as publicly stating my opinion on where I hope to see NRC moving in the future. These thoughts are influenced not only by my time on the NRC board, but also through my close involvement with the Colorado Association for Recycling (CAFR).
Prices for recovered OCC and sorted fiber have both seen decreases over the past month, but PET plastic has held steady and HDPE has gained around 10 percent.
Michael Van Brunt
In July, an article in the journal Environmental Research Letters addressed closing the gap between climate education and efficacy of individual action.
Clarissa Morawski
It’s no secret that China is a leader in international world trade. For years, the country has been a major importer of many types of foreign goods, including timber, dairy products, and petrochemicals. China is also the world’s largest importer of waste. Last year, Chinese manufacturers and recyclers imported 7.3 million metric tons of waste plastics (valued at $3.7 billion), accounting for 56 percent of world imports in that category. It also took in more than half of the world’s exports of waste paper.
Over the past month, market prices for curbside paper grades have dropped significantly. Post-consumer plastic prices, meanwhile, have only seen slight declines.
John Frederick
Efficiency, affordability and convenience are the building blocks upon which exceptional recycling programs are constructed. Many elements are intertwined with these three components, but they stand out as the essential ingredients for success.
Over the past month, the market value for certain fiber grades has stabilized after a period of significant decline.