Prices for natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) have climbed drastically in the past month, while polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) prices declined.
Resource Recycling reports that the national price of post-consumer natural HDPE from curbside collection programs is 46.38 cents per pound, compared with 25.88 cents per pound this time last month. And in some areas, natural HDPE is trading as high as 52 cents per pound, compared to 38.25 cents per pound a year ago.
The report also notes that the national average price of color HDPE is up by more than 30 percent and is now trading at 13.06 cents per pound, compared with 9.94 cents per pound last month. Meanwhile, the national average price of post-consumer PET beverage bottles and jars dropped for the second consecutive month, from 10.72 cents per pound this time last month to 9.80 cents per pound.
Similarly, the national average price of PP dropped from 12.38 cents per pound last month to 8.75 cents per pound this month.
Resource Recycling has more:
The price of natural HDPE has skyrocketed over the past month, roughly doubling in some areas to a high of 52 cents per pound. Color HDPE also took a notable jump.
The national price of post-consumer natural high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from curbside collection programs is now 46.38 cents per pound, compared with 25.88 cents this time last month.
In some areas, natural HDPE is trading as high as 52.00 cents per pound. One year ago, the national average for this grade was 38.25 cents per pound. The last similar high was in September 2014, when it reached a national average of 52.69 cents per pound.