Average selling prices for several grades of recycled resins have increased in North America since July, as more processors use the materials to meet sustainability goals set by their customers.
Regional prices for post-consumer, natural-color high density polyethylene pellets have seen prices increase by 10 cents per pound, according to market sources contacted by Plastics News. Prices for clear, post-consumer PET pellets and for recycled polypropylene flake each are up an average of 5 cents per pound.
The post-consumer PET price had been higher earlier in the year, according to a report from the PetroChem Wire consulting firm in Houston, but demand from brand owners has been down since September as the high-volume carbonated soft drink and water bottle season waned. The 5-cent change shown by Plastics News incorporates previous price increases and a more recent price decrease.
Average regional selling prices for post-consumer low density PE pellets from colored film and for recycled linear low density PE pellets from stretch film each have increased 4 cents per pound, sources said.
In isolated cases, some recycled resins have seen prices drop since July, as excess material was unable to find buyers. Prices for mixed-color, post-consumer HDPE pellets and for industrial polystyrene flake each were down an average of 5 cents per pound.