Recycled resin prices may turn softer. (Recycle Pricing).

* Until very recently, recycled plastics prices continued to move up with virgin prices. The increases were not as steep for recycled materials, which made them more appealing. But now virgin prices appear to have turned a corner, and recycled PET and PS tabs have begun to flatten out, too.

R-PP 'playing catch-up'

Post-industrial polypropylene has risen as much as 6Cents/lb in the last quarter, while post-consumer PP prices have remained stable. "Virgin PP prices went up quite a bit from the third quarter of last year. Post-industrial prices are still playing catchup," says one recycler. More than one source thinks those prices have not yet hit their peak.

R-HDPE prices may soften

Recycled HDPE mixed-color prices went up 3Cents/lb since February. While rising virgin prices drove most of those increases, the June hikes apparently reflected rising costs of baled scrap. "Whatever we can produce, we can sell," says one recycler. "But we're suffering on the purchasing side. When recycled resin sales are good, it gets harder to buy scrap at a good price.

"However, a lot also depends on how much wide-spec resin becomes available as we get into the summer," this source adds. "We expect more wide-spec to hit the market, which will lower both virgin and recycled resin prices a bit. We're also just finishing the busy season. In June and July they don't blow as many bottles as in early spring. Lower demand will drop prices as well."

R-PS softness ahead?

While recycled polystyrene tabs saw a 6Cents to 7Cents/lb increase since February, there were indications in June that prices could begin to soften. Industry sources say overall R-PS availability was not affected by the April fire at the Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association, which will probably be shut down until fall.

R-PET looks steady

Recycled PET prices rose in the last few months but have started to come back down. Sluggishness in both the U.S. economy and export markets will likely hold prices steady throughout the summer.

RECYCLED RESIN PRICES

                       Pellets   Flake
                       cents/lb  cents/lb

PET Bottles (Clean)
Clear Post-Consumer    48-54     38-42
Green Post-Consumer    39-43     28-33

HDPE (Clean)
Natural Post-Consumer  33-36     21-22
Mixed Colors           27-30     18-21

Polystyrene
Post-Consumer
 High Impact
   Black               36-38     32-34
   Natural             40-42     -
General Purpose
   Black               30-32     16-18
   Natural             34-36     28-30

Polypropylene
Post-Industrial        21-27     17-18
Post-Consumer          12-14     -

Polyethylene Film
Post-Consumer
 Stretch               28        -
 Printed/Mixed         13        -
Post-Industrial
 Printed               20        -
 Not Printed           24        -

PVC
Post-Industrial
 Flexible              32-40     -
 Rigid                 50-68     -