Although the market continued to tick along this week, there appear to be some challenges ahead that are worrying participants.
Fallout from China’s bans and export policies continues to affect the market, whether that is concern over what will happen when the US one-month export to China ban ends, or whether that is still finding alternative markets.
Plastics exporters in particular are having to constantly sniff out the next opportunity, looking for open doors as one closes (more on this below).
For the paper market, OCC remains hot to China, and not so much elsewhere (more on this below).
Don’t forget to book your place at Secondary Commodity Markets Conference 2018. Intelligence subscribers automatically get a £75 discount – make sure you are logged in when booking your ticket. Book here
The pound fell a little against the dollar, giving exporters a bit more value with it trading at $1.34 at the end of this week, down just a touch from $1.35 at this time last week.
However, those sending material into Europe would find it a bit more expensive, with the pound rising back above €1.14 and close to €1.15 this week, after being at €1.13 on 11 May.
There will also be concerns over the rising oil price, with Brent Crude hovering at around $80 per barrel due to concern over Iranian oil supplies. At the beginning of May, oil was at around $73 per barrel. While this rise may not make too big a difference in the short term, it could lead to increased shipping and freight costs.
For plastics recyclers, a rising oil price should be a benefit if virgin polymer prices follow suit, especially when combined with what appears to be rising demand for recycled polymers in western economies.
Plastics
Prices for plastics remain relatively stable, but as mentioned above, the market will be watching closely to see if there is any impact from rising oil prices.
While material keeps moving at present, aided by the high PRN value, there is a constant game of finding a destination for material.
Some shipping lines are requesting deposits for containers to destinations such as Malaysia or Vietnam, while others are not refusing to ship plastics there at present. This is because the ports are overwhelmed by stockpiles of plastics in containers at the dockside awaiting collection with infrastructure to collect and process these materials overstretched.
The shipping lines therefore are fearful they could be left with full containers at dockside if the buyers of these materials decide not to collect. Or they are fearful that containers will be left there for a long time and out of action until the infrastructure us available to collect them.
There is also a feeling that some of the Asian destinations and the usually more prominent European destinations such as Poland and Netherlands are now less enthused about buying material, and as a result the focus appears to be on Lithuania and Turkey at the moment.
Paper
OCC continues to be the main point of conversation in the market at the moment.
As suggested last week, attention from Chinese mills turned to the UK and Europe for OCC purchases following the one-month ban imposed on US exports to China. This helped to push the price of Chinese specification material up above £150 per tonne in some circumstances, although trading was also occurring at £140+.
There is talk that shipments are already being prepared in the US for China once the ban ends, and there is likely to be a flood of material at the beginning of June.
For the non-China market including UK, Europe, India and elsewhere, anywhere between £70 to £80 wasn’t unusual.
There is a view though that June may see more convergence in price, as demand seems likely to return in non-Chinese destinations, while Chinese demand should fall.
Other paper grades were stable in price this week.
Metals
Copper grades continued to improve, rising by £100 per tonne for the second week in a row.
Brass grades also rose by the same amount. Other grades saw no real change.
Prices
If you wish to see a longer data set on each table or chart, change the ‘show 10 entries’ drop down to your preferred choice. Both the table and chart (if there is one) will adjust automatically. Our full data set is available here to subscribers.Â
UK plastic bottles
wdt_ID UK £ Mixed bottles A Mixed bottles B PET HDPE Natural 95/5
1
16/02/2018
50-100
-10-30
160
360
2
09/02/2018
50-100
-10-30
160
360
3
02/02/2018
50-100
-10-30
160
360
4
26/01/2018
60-110
0-30
170
380
5
19/01/2018
60-110
0-30
170
380
6
12/01/2018
60-110
0-30
170
380
7
05/01/2018
60-110
0-30
170
380
8
15/12/2017
60-110
0-30
170
390
9
08/12/2017
60-110
0-30
170
390
10
01/12/2017
60-110
0-30
170
390
UK HDPE, Wheelie Bins, HIPS, EPS, PP
wdt_ID UK £ HDPE Regrind Wheelie Bins HIPS Regrind EPS PP Regrind
1
16/02/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
2
09/02/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
3
02/02/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
4
26/01/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
5
19/01/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
6
12/01/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
7
05/01/2018
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
8
15/12/2017
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
9
08/12/2017
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
10
01/12/2017
470-490
270-300
300-350
400-450
470-510
UK LDPE film
wdt_ID UK £ LDPE 99/1 LDPE 98/2 LDPE 95/5 LDPE 90/10 Jazz Film
1
16/02/2018
200-270
170
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
2
09/02/2018
200-270
170
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
3
02/02/2018
200-270
170
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
4
26/01/2018
240-290
190
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
5
19/01/2018
240-290
190
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
6
12/01/2018
240-290
190
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
7
05/01/2018
240-290
190
60-100
0-40
-70-(-30)
8
15/12/2017
250-300
200
70-110
10-50
-70-(-30)
9
08/12/2017
250-300
200
70-110
10-50
-70-(-30)
10
01/12/2017
275-315
225
70-110
10-50
-70-(-30)
UK pots, tubs, trays
wdt_ID UK £ Mixed carrier bags Mixed hard plastics Mixed plastic trays
1
16/02/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
2
09/02/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
3
02/02/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
4
26/01/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
5
19/01/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
6
12/01/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
7
05/01/2018
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
8
15/12/2017
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
9
08/12/2017
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
10
01/12/2017
-70-(-30)
-70-(-30)
-55-(-65)
UK OCC, ONP, Mixed paper
wdt_ID UK £ OCC ONP Mixed paper
1
16/02/2018
65
87
10
2
09/02/2018
62
87
10
3
02/02/2018
68
87
12
4
26/01/2018
87
95
37
5
19/01/2018
97
97
45
6
12/01/2018
105
97
55
7
05/01/2018
110
100
62
8
15/12/2017
110
100
62
9
08/12/2017
117
100
62
10
01/12/2017
142
100
62
UK soft mixed, OIN, SOW
wdt_ID UK £ Soft mixed OI news SOW
1
16/02/2018
0-20
120-130
165-175
2
09/02/2018
0-20
120-130
165-175
3
02/02/2018
0-20
120-130
165-175
4
26/01/2018
25-35
120-130
165-175
5
19/01/2018
30-40
120-130
165-175
6
12/01/2018
35-45
120-130
165-175
7
05/01/2018
35-45
120-130
165-175
8
15/12/2017
35-45
120-130
165-175
9
08/12/2017
35-45
120-130
165-175
10
01/12/2017
35-45
120-130
165-175
UK Multi, WHL, BW2
wdt_ID UK £ Multi grade WHL BW2
1
16/02/2018
150-170
238-244
280-290
2
09/02/2018
150-170
238-244
280-290
3
02/02/2018
150-170
238-244
280-290
4
26/01/2018
155-170
238-244
280-290
5
19/01/2018
155-170
238-244
280-290
6
12/01/2018
155-170
238-244
280-290
7
05/01/2018
155-170
238-244
280-290
8
15/12/2017
155-170
238-244
280-290
9
08/12/2017
155-170
238-244
280-290
10
01/12/2017
160-175
238-244
280-290
UK copper
wdt_ID UK £ Copper Dry bright wire New tube Braziery Clean Pyro
1
16/02/2018
4,300
4250-4350
4175-4275
3350-3450
1700-1800
2
09/02/2018
4,300
4250-4350
4175-4275
3350-3450
1700-1800
3
02/02/2018
4,400
4350-4450
4275-4375
3450-3550
1800-1900
4
26/01/2018
4,400
4350-4450
4275-4375
3450-3550
1800-1900
5
19/01/2018
4,400
4350-4450
4275-4375
3450-3550
1800-1900
6
12/01/2018
4,600
4550-4650
4475-4575
3650-3750
2000-2100
7
05/01/2018
4,600
4550-4650
4475-4575
3650-3750
2000-2100
8
15/12/2017
4,200
4150-4250
4075-4175
3250-3350
1600-1700
9
08/12/2017
4,200
4150-4250
4075-4175
3250-3350
1600-1700
10
01/12/2017
4,200
4150-4250
4075-4175
3250-3350
1600-1700
UK brass
wdt_ID UK £ Brass (Honey) Mixed brass Rod swarf Brass/copper rads
1
16/02/2018
2,700
2650-2750
2475-2575
2400-2500
2
09/02/2018
2,700
2650-2750
2475-2575
2400-2500
3
02/02/2018
2,700
2650-2750
2475-2575
2400-2500
4
26/01/2018
2,800
2750-2850
2575-2675
2500-2600
5
19/01/2018
2,800
2750-2850
2575-2675
2500-2600
6
12/01/2018
2,800
2750-2850
2575-2675
2500-2600
7
05/01/2018
2,900
2850-2950
2675-2725
2600-2700
8
15/12/2017
2,650
2600-2700
2425-2525
2350-2450
9
08/12/2017
2,650
2600-2700
2425-2525
2350-2450
10
01/12/2017
2,650
2600-2700
2425-2525
2350-2450
UK aluminium alloys
wdt_ID UK £ Taint/Tabor Alum Bronze solids Low grade cable Household cable
1
16/02/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
2
09/02/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
3
02/02/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
4
26/01/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
5
19/01/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
6
12/01/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
7
05/01/2018
1,350
2050-2150
525-575
1050-1150
8
15/12/2017
1,300
2000-2100
475-525
1000-1100
9
08/12/2017
1,300
2000-2100
475-525
1000-1100
10
01/12/2017
1,400
2100-2200
575-625
1100-1200
UK aluminum
wdt_ID UK £ Clean HE9 Clean alu wheels Cast alu Old rolled alu
1
16/02/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
2
09/02/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
3
02/02/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
4
26/01/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
5
19/01/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
6
12/01/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
7
05/01/2018
800-900
1000-1050
700-750
475-525
8
15/12/2017
750-850
950-1000
650-700
425-525
9
08/12/2017
750-850
950-1000
650-700
425-525
10
01/12/2017
850-950
1025-1125
750-800
525-575
UK stainless steel, zinc, lead
wdt_ID UK £ 18/8 stainless 316 stainless Zinc Lead Lead batteries
1
16/02/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
2
09/02/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
3
02/02/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
4
26/01/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
5
19/01/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
6
12/01/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
7
05/01/2018
725-775
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
8
15/12/2017
675-725
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
9
08/12/2017
675-725
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
10
01/12/2017
675-725
975-1025
800-900
1400-1500
625-675
UK ferrous
wdt_ID UK £ HMS 1 Light iron O/S shearing O/S construction Mixed iron
1
16/02/2018
180
135-175
145-185
130-170
150-190
2
09/02/2018
180
135-175
145-185
130-170
150-190
3
02/02/2018
180
135-175
145-185
130-170
150-190
4
26/01/2018
180
135-175
145-185
130-170
150-190
5
19/01/2018
190
145-185
155-195
140-180
160-200
6
12/01/2018
200
155-195
165-205
150-190
170-210
7
05/01/2018
200
155-195
165-205
150-190
170-210
8
15/12/2017
195
150-190
160-200
145-185
165-205
9
08/12/2017
195
150-190
160-200
145-185
165-205
10
01/12/2017
175
130-170
140-180
125-165
145-185
UK engines, cans, plugs
wdt_ID UK £ EOLV Steel UBC Aluminium UBCs Plugs and chargers
1
16/02/2018
95-135
120-160
1000-1100
110-130
2
09/02/2018
95-135
120-160
1000-1100
110-130
3
02/02/2018
95-135
120-160
1000-1100
110-130
4
26/01/2018
95-135
120-160
1050-1150
110-130
5
19/01/2018
105-145
130-170
1050-1150
110-130
6
12/01/2018
115-155
140-180
1050-1150
110-130
7
05/01/2018
115-155
140-180
1050-1150
110-130
8
15/12/2017
110-150
135-175
1000-1150
110-130
9
08/12/2017
110-150
135-175
1000-1150
110-130
10
01/12/2017
90-130
115-155
1000-1150
110-130
UK glass
wdt_ID UK £ Clear Amber Green Mixed
1
16/02/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
2
09/02/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
3
02/02/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
4
26/01/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
5
19/01/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
6
12/01/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
7
05/01/2018
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
8
15/12/2017
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
9
08/12/2017
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
10
01/12/2017
18-28
14-20
9-13
2-8
PRN paper, plastic, glass
wdt_ID UK £ Paper Plastic Glass Remelt Glass Other
1
16/02/2018
1.80-2.20
56-58
11-12
10.50-11.50
2
09/02/2018
1.25-1.75
56-58
10.50-11.50
10-11
3
02/02/2018
1.25-1.75
56-58
10.50-11.50
10-11
4
26/01/2018
1.50-2.00
54-56
10.50-11.50
9.50-11
5
19/01/2018
1.50-2.00
52-56
10-12
9-11
6
12/01/2018
1.50-2.00
50-54
10-12
9-11
7
05/01/2018
1.25-1.75
51-55
9.50-11.50
9-11
8
15/12/2017
1.25-1.75
48-52
9.50-11.50
8.50-10.50
9
08/12/2017
1.50-2.00
39-43
9-11
9-11
10
01/12/2017
1.65-2.15
29-33
9-11
9-11
PRNs wood, steel, alu, recovery
wdt_ID UK £ Wood Steel Aluminium Recovery
1
16/02/2018
8-9
4-6
20-24
0.4-0.5
2
09/02/2018
7.25-8.25
4-6
20-24
0.4-0.5
3
02/02/2018
7.25-8.25
4-6
20-24
0.4-0.5
4
26/01/2018
5-6
4-6
33-37
0.4-0.5
5
19/01/2018
4.50-5.50
5-7
33-37
0.4-0.5
6
12/01/2018
4.50-5.50
5-7
33-37
0.4-0.5
7
05/01/2018
4.50-5.50
4.50-5.50
33-37
0.4-0.5
8
15/12/2017
4.50-5.50
1-2
14-16
0.4-0.5
9
08/12/2017
4-5
1-2
14-16
0.4-0.5
10
01/12/2017
1.75-2.25
1-3
4-6
0.4-0.5
UK gate fees, RDF, landfill
wdt_ID UK £ RDF - UK Landfill Tax Landfill Gate fee
1
16/02/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
2
09/02/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
3
02/02/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
4
26/01/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
5
19/01/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
6
12/01/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
7
05/01/2018
65-85
86.10
10-20
8
15/12/2017
65-85
86.10
10-20
9
08/12/2017
65-85
86.10
10-20
10
01/12/2017
65-85
86.10
10-20
UK Gate Fees - EFW, AD, MRF
wdt_ID UK £ Energy from Waste Anaerobic digestion MRF
1
16/02/2018
60-90
60-90
60-90
2
09/02/2018
25-35
25-35
25-35
3
02/02/2018
0-30
0-30
0-30
4
26/01/2018
60-90
25-35
0-30
5
19/01/2018
60-90
25-35
0-30
6
12/01/2018
60-90
25-35
0-30
7
05/01/2018
60-90
25-35
0-30
8
15/12/2017
60-90
25-35
0-30
9
08/12/2017
60-90
25-35
0-30
10
01/12/2017
60-90
25-35
0-30
China plastics
wdt_ID USD $ PET flake PET bottle HDPE Natural LDPE 98/2
1
16/02/2018
821
486
874
544
2
09/02/2018
821
486
874
544
3
02/02/2018
760
486
772
538
4
26/01/2018
760
486
772
538
5
19/01/2018
760
486
772
538
6
12/01/2018
760
486
772
538
7
05/01/2018
760
486
772
538
8
15/12/2017
696
403
760
684
9
08/12/2017
785
570
798
630
10
01/12/2017
785
570
798
630
China paper
wdt_ID USD $ OCC ONP Mixed
1
16/02/2018
230
257
149
2
09/02/2018
230
257
149
3
02/02/2018
235
240
155
4
26/01/2018
235
240
155
5
19/01/2018
235
240
155
6
12/01/2018
235
240
155
7
05/01/2018
235
240
155
8
15/12/2017
250
262
151
9
08/12/2017
255
262
159
10
01/12/2017
255
262
159
China metals
wdt_ID USD $ Copper Wire Brass (Honey) Taint/Tabor HMS 1
1
16/02/2018
6,175
4,650
1,285
144
2
09/02/2018
6,175
4,650
1,285
144
3
02/02/2018
6,135
4,635
1,595
153
4
26/01/2018
6,135
4,635
1,595
153
5
19/01/2018
6,135
4,635
1,595
153
6
12/01/2018
6,135
4,635
1,595
153
7
05/01/2018
6,135
4,635
1,595
153
8
15/12/2017
6,205
5,230
1,390
155
9
08/12/2017
6,190
5,210
1,440
130
10
01/12/2017
6,190
5,210
1,440
130
US plastics
wdt_ID USD $ PET bottles HDPE Natural LDPE Grade A
1
16/02/2018
450
585
350
2
09/02/2018
450
585
350
3
02/02/2018
450
585
350
4
26/01/2018
450
585
350
5
19/01/2018
450
585
350
6
12/01/2018
450
585
350
7
05/01/2018
450
585
350
8
15/12/2017
400
585
350
9
08/12/2017
400
585
350
10
01/12/2017
460
585
350
US paper
wdt_ID USD $ OCC ONP Mixed
1
16/02/2018
110
80
40
2
09/02/2018
110
80
40
3
02/02/2018
110
80
40
4
26/01/2018
110
80
40
5
19/01/2018
120
80
60
6
12/01/2018
120
80
60
7
05/01/2018
120
80
60
8
15/12/2017
120
80
60
9
08/12/2017
120
80
60
10
01/12/2017
120
80
60
US metals
wdt_ID USD $ Copper Wire Brass (Honey) Taint/Tabor HMS 1
1
16/02/2018
5,950
3,636
2,512
320
2
09/02/2018
5,950
3,636
2,512
320
3
02/02/2018
6,061
3,636
2,512
320
4
26/01/2018
6,061
3,636
2,512
320
5
19/01/2018
6,237
3,592
2,512
265
6
12/01/2018
6,237
3,592
2,512
265
7
05/01/2018
6,170
2,975
2,468
265
8
15/12/2017
5,906
3,416
2,424
265
9
08/12/2017
5,775
2,909
2,424
265
10
01/12/2017
5,884
3,415
2,468
295