Some paper and metal grades saw more price increases this week, but plastics were steady again for another week.
However, with many people in the UK and Europe on Easter holidays, it was also a generally quiet week when it came to trading.
Next week might see a bit more activity as some return to work, but there are also quite a few schools off still so it might not be a normal week as yet.
There are signs though of more activity in Europe and Asia, but it isn’t clear if this will be brief or more normal and sustained conditions.
The pound was largely unchanged at $1.26 and €1.16 respectively.
Recycled plastics
The plastic PRN/PERN raised in value by around £10 in the week and physical prices increased too.
But this didn’t last, and the PRN/PERN price fell back to the same level as it was the week before by the end of the week. The physical values dropped by the same amount, leaving prices where they were.
There isn’t any sense of what may push prices one way or another at the moment, but at some point, prices will move and everyone is wondering when that will happen. For now, they are getting used to the stability.
Recycled paper
Demand mostly seemed to be coming from Europe and South East Asia this week, and those who had material were attracting good prices.
The spread on OCC narrowed upwards to that those paying the higher prices last week continued at around those levels, but the rest of the market caught up and was matching.
Some were also trying to get more value out of the market so switched attention to mixed, helping the price of that to increase.
There is a view that the rush to buy might have calmed down, but that could be down to the Easter breaks in UK and Europe and it could be that markets return to where they were in the coming weeks or it could be the start of a quieter period. Time will tell.
Recycled metals
Copper increased by £200 per tonne, brass by £150 and aluminium by £100 this week. Ferrous grades saw no change.
Recycling prices
For recycled paper prices, click here
For recycled plastic prices, click here
For recycled metal prices, click here
For recycled glass prices, click here
For PRN/PERN prices, click here
