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R-HDPE going up
Natural recycled HDPE prices have stabilized since May. Mixed-color prices also stabilized but the spread between the two has narrowed. Reprocessors say prices bumped up a little in early summer but are now back down to spring levels. Says one recycler, “Some bigger players have been trying to keep prices stable, but the feedstocks are now forcing prices up.”

An increase of a penny or two is expected for mixed-color this month because of limited availability. “We pretty much match virgin price changes—about a 45-day lag behind. As long as virgin materials stay expensive and there is low availability of wide-spec, it’s going to keep our prices up,” one recycler explains.

R-PP steady for now
Demand for recycled PP is strong, but prices have been holding steady this quarter, helped by a seasonal dip in automotive demand. “A lot of automotive facilities are shut down in the summer, but they are only about 20% of our business. PP availability is tightening up even without them. If automotive plants were running, I don’t know what we’d be doing,” says one reprocessor. The consensus is that recycled prices are likely to rise in the near future.

R-PET high but stable
Pricing for recycled PET has been stable for the last couple of months, though clear material experienced a 1¢/lb increase. Most suppliers don’t expect much change, owing to heavy demand—even if virgin prices start to drop. In the fall, prices often come down a little bit after a summer of heavy beverage consumption. “This year, I would expect we’ll be at this same level, give or take a cent, into September,” one source says.”

R-PS rising
In the last quarter, recycled PS prices have gone up 3¢ to 4¢ cents for black and as much as 7¢/lb for natural. Suppliers have their eyes fixed on virgin prices, where the big question is whether double-digit increases announced by some suppliers will actually take effect.