Surging commodity prices drove markedly higher recycling revenues for the largest haulers in North America last year. Those companies say they’ll put a lot of money into upgrading their MRFs in 2022.
Using recycled plastic is good business for Advanced Drainage Systems, but recent reports and interviews make clear that it’s not always painless.
February has brought substantial price increases for three curbside commodities: PET containers, aluminum cans and polypropylene.
Within three years, Waste Management could be sending 150,000 tons of mixed paper and plastic each year to a factory that will recycle the otherwise-landfill-bound material into a high-quality roofing board.
About 94% of U.S. residents had either curbside or drop-off recycling service for at least one type of paper last year, indicating recycling programs largely retained the material despite pandemic pressures.
MRFs are enjoying notably higher prices for used beverage cans and PET containers this month, with bale values rising by 14% and 10%, respectively.
Materials recovery facilities in the northeastern U.S. enjoyed a sharp increase in recyclables prices during the third quarter, according to a survey from the Northeast Recycling Council.
One major paper company reported a 179% increase in OCC prices year over year during the third quarter. Although the OCC market has cooled slightly since then, paper companies are projecting similarly elevated prices for the year to come.