PRESS RELEASE

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Date: February 28, 2023

Consistent Downward Trend in Material Values for Quarter Ending December 31

NERC’s MRF Values Survey Quarterly Report for the period October – December 2022 again showed a sharp downward trend in values, with a -28% change from the previous quarter for values without residuals¹, and -31% change for values with residuals. This is the 15th report in NERC’s series of quarterly 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. View the Report here.

These survey results reflect the differing laws and collection options in the participating states. Four of the states 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.

¹Residuals refers to the incoming material that cannot be marketed and goes to disposal. The value without residuals reflects the value of a ton of marketed material without the expense of handling residuals, while the value with residuals reflects the value of each ton processed with the costs of managing residuals taken into account.

View all Northeast Recycling Market Reports here.