NERC: Steady Incline in Commodity Values for Q1 2024

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): NERC’s MRF Values Survey Report for the periods January – March 2024 showed a steady rise in the average commodity price for Q1. The average value of all commodities increased by 19% with residuals and 17% without from Q4 2023 to Q1 2024. Processing costs decreased by 7.69% from $93.09 to $85.93/ton.

This is the 20th quarterly report in NERC’s series of reports on the market value of commodities from MRFs in the Northeast. The report includes information from ten states: Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

These survey results reflect the differing laws and collection options in the participating states. Four of the states included in this report have beverage container deposit laws. As a result, fewer glass bottles, PET bottles and aluminum cans are processed in MRFs in those states. Those MRFs are also likely to have less revenue from those recyclables. In addition, the report reflects a mix of single stream, dual stream, and source separation to collect recyclables with single stream being the most common approach. The type of collection used will have an impact on MRF design and operation. Thus, the data from this report reflects the unique blend of facilities and statewide laws in the reporting states.

Residuals refers to the incoming material that cannot be marketed and goes to disposal. The value without residuals reflects the value of a perfect ton of marketed material, while the value with residuals reflects the value of each ton processed with the costs associated of disposing unmarketable material. Note: In many cases, recovered glass goes to market but at a negative value.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com