The value of a ton of mixed paper has hit a new low, trading for less than a large latte at Starbucks. But some key curbside plastics have continued their upward pricing trends.
The value of a ton of mixed paper has hit a new low, trading for less than a large latte at Starbucks. But some key curbside plastics have continued their upward pricing trends.
An initiative that has been the source of industry debate over recovery of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging is awarding $100,000 in grants to expand to more communities.
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.
A rendering of the planned Millville Plastics facility in New Jersey.
A $20 million New Jersey plastics recycling facility is in development, and project leaders say it will process roughly 100 million pounds of scrap plastics per year for sale into a variety of end markets.
Parties working to reopen an idled plastics recovery facility in Maryland are going back to the drawing board after a possible investor withdrew from talks.
Last year presented an upheaval in the global recovered plastics market, and the impacts continue to roll in. Three experts recently shared their thoughts on the specific causes of the volatility.
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.
Wheels are in motion to resume operations at an idled plastics recycling facility outside Baltimore. But if it does start up again, it will do so without one of its original partners.
Two recently released reports provide snapshots of film and non-bottle rigid plastics recycling. The material types have seen collection gains but processing challenges.