China’s import shifts have meant plummeting OCC prices, a fact that’s been a boon to the bottom line of U.S. mill owners. But paper executives aren’t expecting the scenario to necessarily become the new norm.
China’s import shifts have meant plummeting OCC prices, a fact that’s been a boon to the bottom line of U.S. mill owners. But paper executives aren’t expecting the scenario to necessarily become the new norm.
A large end user of OCC has acquired a single-stream MRF from QRS Recycling in order to secure more of the corrugated stream.
Facing rock-bottom fiber prices, Waste Management’s recycling revenues experienced a 16 percent decrease during the first quarter of 2018.
A major portion of the single-stream mix has fallen sharply from record high prices a year ago. Industry stakeholders recently opened up on the factors behind the shift, and how it’s impacting U.S. recycling operations.
Recycling market issues and market development were the focus of a one-day meeting last week in Maryland sponsored by the Northeast Recycling Council.
Industry experts say numerous recovered plastics processing facilities are popping up worldwide, as the global market shifts away from shipping raw material into China.
The U.S. has become a focus of investment for a small yet growing portion of the Chinese scrap processing industry. Backers of two in-development operations note they are looking for regulatory stability and a strong supply of recyclables.
Mixed-paper has hit an all-time price low, with each ton trading for just $5. Downward pricing has also been seen with other fibers, but plastics have shown increasingly strong values lately.
Over the past month, market prices for curbside paper grades have dropped significantly. Post-consumer plastic prices, meanwhile, have only seen slight declines.
