Commodity values further decline for Northeastern MRFs

Core Insights - The Northeast United States experienced a decline in average prices for nearly all recycled commodities in Q3 2025, with glass and bulky rigids being exceptions [1][4]. Price Trends - The average blended commodity value without residuals was $75.14, a decrease of 21.9% from the previous quarter, while the value with residuals was $60.16, down 27.24% [2]. - Single-stream MRFs saw values decrease by 23.32% without residuals and 28.86% with residuals, while dual-stream MRFs experienced decreases of 17.33% without residuals and 21.76% with residuals compared to the last quarter [2]. MRF Representation - The report included data from 19 MRFs across 12 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia [3]. NERC Report Purpose - The NERC report aims to provide a regional overview of price trends and is part of efforts to enhance recycled commodity supply and demand in the Northeast [4]. - The report adopted a new format in 2025, offering average prices for specific commodities alongside aggregate values, highlighting significant declines in most categories except for glass and bulky rigids [4]. Specific Commodity Prices - The average price for bulky rigids was $43.26, reflecting a 93% increase from the previous quarter, although no explanation for this increase was provided [4]. - The average price for PET was $125.58, down 60%, Natural HDPE was approximately $955.31 per ton, down 46%, and OCC averaged about $86.23, down 10% [5]. Company Performance - Casella reported a 29% year-over-year decline in average recycled commodity revenue per ton in Q3, and the company mitigates the impact of low commodity values by adjusting tip fees [7].