July brought higher prices for bales of PET and natural HDPE containers, while color HDPE continued to slip downwards in value. On the fiber front, major grades maintained stable pricing after a long runup throughout the year.
The national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars moved up again this month, now averaging 17.27 cents per pound compared to 15.91 cents per pound this time last month. Regional contracts are now yielding 17-19 cents per pound. One year ago this grade was trading at 7 cents per pound.
The national average price of post-consumer natural HDPE from curbside collection programs is up again this month, now at an average 35.63 cents per pound. This compares to 33.88 cents last month and 30.38 cents this time last year.
The national average price of color HDPE dropped again this month to an average 14.75 cents per pound. This compares to 20 cents last month and 6.81 cents one year ago.
The national average price of post-consumer PP remains steady at 6.50 cents per cents per pound. Polypropylene was 7.56 cents one year ago.
The national average price for corrugated containers, PS 11, remains steady at an average $108 per ton. OCC was trading for $49 per ton this time last year.
Mixed paper, PS 54, remains unchanged at $70 per ton. This compares to $14 per ton this time last year.
The national average price for sorted, baled UBCs is steady at 75.94 cents per pound. Aluminum cans were 66.25 cents per pound this time last year.
The national average price of Grade A film remains at 18.06 cents per pound. It traded at 16.94 cents one year ago.
Grade B film remains unchanged at 7.50 cents.
Grade C film is a nominal 0.13 cents per pound.
Sorted, baled steel cans continue trading downward, now at $155 per ton range compared to $195 per ton last month. Steel cans averaged $214 per ton one year ago.
Sorted residential papers, PS 56, remain steady at $84 per ton range. This compares to $25 per ton one year ago.
Sorted office papers, PS 37, remain unchanged at $126 per ton. This compares to an average $144 per ton one year ago.
These prices are as reported on the Secondary Materials Pricing 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, recyclingmarkets.net. You can also contact Christina Boulanger-Bosley at cmb@recyclingmarkets.net or call 330-956-8911.
