[OKRA] New Year brings higher prices for recovered commodities

[Ellen Bussert]

[image: logo] <https://www.resource-recycling.com/recycling>



New year brings higher prices for recovered commodities
<https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2021/01/12/new-year-brings-higher-prices-for-recovered-commodities/>
Posted on  January 12, 2021

by RecyclingMarkets.net Staff <http://www.recyclingmarkets.net/>

[image: Market graph icon]Prices for curbside recyclables are either up or
flat this month, with some key materials seeing surging values. For
example, OCC rose 14% during the past month.

The national average price for corrugated containers (PS 11) moved up 14%
this month to $75 per ton, compared with $66 per ton last month
<https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2020/12/15/scrap-paper-plastic-and-metal-prices-all-rise-in-december/>.
The OCC grade was trading for about $25 per one year ago.

The price of natural HDPE from curbside collection programs now averages
66.84 cents per pound nationally, another record-high price. This compares
with last month’s 63.75 cents, which was also a record, and 59.47 cents one
year ago. Some regions are reporting prices currently reaching 72.00 cents
per pound.

Prices for PET, an important curbside plastic, also moved higher. The
national average price of PET beverage bottles and jars moved up 16% this
month and is currently at 7.58 cents per pound, compared with 6.55 cents
per pound this time last month. One year ago, the price was 9.28 cents per
pound.

Meanwhile, sorted residential papers (PS 56) remain unchanged this month.
They are still averaging $44 per ton, compared with $10 per ton one year
ago.

Mixed paper (PS 54) inched up to an average price of $33 per ton. This
grade was at a negative $2 per ton cost last year.

And high-grade papers are up by an average of $5 to $10 per ton this month,
with sorted office papers (PS 37) trading in the range of $85-$90 per ton.

For metals, the national average price for sorted, baled aluminum cans is
up 5% this month. This grade is now at 51.88 cents per pound, compared with
49.19 cents last month. This moves the price marginally above the 51.19
cents traded one year ago.

Steel cans remain constant at $80 per ton this month. They averaged $103
per ton one year ago.

Higher prices have been seen for other types of plastics, as well. The
national average price of polypropylene surged upward this month and is now
at 11.69 cents per pound, compared to 7.00 cents last month and 5.81 cents
one year ago.

Following natural HDPE, the national average price of color HDPE is also up
again. It is now trading at 17.19 cents per pound, up from 17.06 cents last
month. This compares to a low of 3.58 cents six months ago, in July 2020.

The national average price of Grade A film is up 15%, now at 10.84 cents,
compared with 9.44 cents per pound last month and 8.44 cents per pound this
time last year. Grade B film is now 3.63 cents per pound, while Grade C
film remains a low 0.81 cents per pound.

*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 cmb at recyclingmarkets.net
<cmb at recyclingmarkets.net> or 330-956-8911.*


[image: Plastics Recycling Conference - Virtual - April 7-8, 2021]
<http://www.plasticsrecycling.com/>
[image: SDS] <https://www.sdslogistics.com/>
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