Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Organization Circular Action Alliance released a needs assessment that lays out accepted recyclable lists, models the effects of several improvement scenarios and evaluates access to services and costs. | Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock
In another step toward implementation of extended producer responsibility for packaging, Colorado regulators published a report laying out which materials would be covered and exploring different options for how the program could operate.Continue Reading
Published: January 16, 2024 Updated: by Colin Staub
Three separate but connected companies – Sustana Fiber, Rolland Paper and Hanna Paper – rebranded as Sustana in mid-January. | Courtesy of Sustana
Sustana, a 100% recycled fiber mill operator and end user of recovered office paper and cartons, has consolidated its three business segments into the same entity. The move comes shortly after an acquisition that brought the Wisconsin-headquartered company into the fiber collection sector.Continue Reading
Published: January 22, 2024 Updated: by Dan Holtmeyer
By mid-2024, Ottawa, Canada grocers hope to have a reusable packaging system going for customers. | Deemerwha Studio/Shutterstock
Major grocery retailers and other foodservice businesses in Ottawa, Ontario will start selling foods in reusable, returnable containers later this year through a first-of-its-kind pilot program to help reduce single-use plastic packaging, according to a press release from the pilot’s organizers. Continue Reading
Published: January 22, 2024 Updated: by Colin Staub
Pointing to rising energy costs, Vermont-based Putney Paper shut down Jan. 16. | Max Barnum/Shutterstock
Putney Paper, a Northeast U.S. mill that took in post-consumer recovered fiber and converted it into recycled tissue, napkins and towels, closed its doors last week, with company leadership citing rising energy costs contributing to the closure.Continue Reading
Early adopters of reusable product systems identified simplicity, consistency and ample options as keys for scaling up. | OlegKovalevichh/Shutterstock
A study of 300 people who regularly use reusable packaging showed that reuse systems need minimal and streamlined technology, reminders to return packaging and more options to be successful. Continue Reading
The new year kicked off with good news for MRF operators, who saw OCC and mixed paper fetching higher prices and curbside plastic grades mostly holding steady.
The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) is up again this month, from $80 in December to $87 per ton this month. This compares to $29 per ton this time last year. It’s the highest OCC prices have reached since falling sharply in September 2022.
Mixed paper (PS 54) is also up by $10 this month, and is now trading at $48 per ton. This compares to $0 per ton this time last year.
Sorted residential papers (PS 56) are up by $10, now trading at an average $61 per ton. This compares to $23 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers (PS 37) remain unchanged at $132 per ton. This compares to an average $221 per ton one year ago.
In the plastics space, grades had marginal or no movement in price.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars is up marginally this month, now averaging 11.47 cents per pound, compared to 11.02 cents per pound this time last month. Some regional contracts are still yielding 13 to 15 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at 12.02 cents per pound.
Post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) dropped marginally, now at an average 28.50 cents per pound. This compares to 29.50 cents last month and 61.59 cents this time last year.
Color HDPE remained unchanged this month, now at an average 18.81 cents per pound. It was 9 cents one year ago.
Post-consumer polypropylene (PP) also remains unchanged at 4.94 cents per pound. PP was 5.38 cents one year ago.
The national average price of Grade A film remains unchanged at 13.88 cents per pound. It traded at 15.63 cents one year ago.
Grade B film remains unchanged at 6.88 cents.
Grade C film remains at a nominal 0.13 cents per pound.
Aluminum cans remain steady, at 61 cents per pound. These used beverage cans (UBCs) traded for 65 cents per pound this time last year.
Sorted, baled steel cans remain constant at $212 per ton. The price was $156 per ton one year ago.
These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing (SMP) 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 (http://www.recyclingmarkets.net). You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at [email protected] or call 330-956-8911.
Published: January 8, 2024 Updated: by Colin Staub
A local producer of 100% recycled PET water bottles is bringing in-state bottle processing capacity to Hawaii. | Courtesy of Waiākea Water
Waiākea Inc., a producer of 100% recycled PET bottles for water sourced from an active volcano, is installing bottle-to-bottle processing equipment at its Hilo, Hawaii facility with a planned capacity of 52 million pounds per year.Continue Reading
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery published drafts of its covered material list categories for the extended producer responsibility for packaging program, among other announcements. | Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock
California is moving ahead on implementation of its extended producer responsibility law. The state agency recently released a draft of the regulations and selected a producer responsibility organization. Continue Reading
Published: January 2, 2024 Updated: by Colin Staub
The study suggests over half of the 110 million metric tons of overall fiber that entered the waste stream went to landfill in 2019. | Janossy Gergely/Shutterstock
New research quantifies in greater detail the amount of fiber entering U.S. landfills each year. A lead author of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study said the findings highlight a huge opportunity for additional material recovery.Continue Reading
