I am not sure of our local MRF's exact practices, but they too are putting
in other plastics with the mixed HDPE, including both #3-7's and custom
PET. The market has OK'd this and presumably is able to market their
regrind with a certain amount of these materials in with the HDPE.
Adding the custom PET to the HDPE stream reduces the revenue from
the custom PET over selling it to the PET market, but it reduces the
problem of rejection of the PET bales from look-alike PVC.
I will be very thankful when PVC is finally eliminated from the market
place. Currently, custom PET is about half of all PET containers and we
discourage citizens from adding these to the recyclables. Our MRF
won't add the custom PET to the soda PET due to the concern of PVC
contamination from look-alikes. We are sending a lot of good material to
the solid waste stream and losing a lot of revenue due to the PVC
problem. This is truly a case of the tail wagging the dog.
John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County, WI
> Hi John, Pat and All list serve folks,
>
> Same with us. Here on the west coast we are getting $210 per ton for mixed
> color PET and $160 for mixed color HDPE (with up to 15% other plastics).
> Natural HDPE is selling for over $260 per ton. All mixed bottles (with up
> to 10 % other plastic) are going for $120 per ton.
>
> If anyone in California or Oregon needs help marketing ANY scrap plastics
> call me at 888/753-7485 OR e-mail me at help1@caplasticsmarkets.com OR
> check out our website at caplasticsmarkets.com. We'll do our best to get
> you a market.
>
> Patty Moore
>
> >Hi Pat -
> >
> >Wow, what a difference from us. Last month, we got $200 a ton for PET
> >(clear and green mixed together) and $150 a ton for HDPE (translucent,
> >colored, with some #3-7 mixed in).
> >
> >John
> >Dane County, WI
> >
> >> Folks,
> >
> >
> >>
> >> Remember when Ron Perkins (then at APC) told a legislative committee in
> >> CA that "markets for PET are not a problem"? Well, he needs to tell
> >> that to the recycling coordinator at Villanova U in Philly. Here's
> >> what she told me. . . .
> >>
> >>
> >> >Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 07:49:23 -0400
> >>
> >> >Ms. Franklin:
> >> >
> >> >The recycler was accepting my #1 and #2 at no charge to me, but not
> >> >paying me either. Then they switched from that to charging me $60 per
> >> >ton, which is higher than our trash tipping fee. No one has ever
> >> >offered me money for plastic, and I have asked them if they would take
> >> >just PETE or HDPE but no one around here seems to want the stuff at
> >> >all. Finally a waste management location in Philadelphia agreed to
> >> >take it for gratis, but it's about two hours round trip. Anyway that's
> >> >my plastics story.
> >>
> >> SD
reindl@co.dane.wi.us
(608)267-1533 - fax
(608)267-8815 - phone