Export watch

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

The volume of plastic scrap exported in November, at 362.811 million pounds, was down 12.15 percent from its October figure. The volume also dropped when matched against its November 2010 position, with a 16.2 percent decrease in the volume of exports.

The weighted average price of recovered plastic exports in November, at 22.14 cents per pound, was down 4.98 percent from its October standing. When compared to its November 2010 standing, the price also dropped, decreasing by 6.2 percent.

Through November 2011, at 4.34 billion pounds, the volume of recovered plastics exported was up 5.2 percent from its 2010 year-to-date (YTD) figure. Also, at 20.68 cents per pound, the average price through November was up 13.1 percent from the first 11 months of 2010.

As for other exported materials, recovered paper exports, through November 2011, experienced a 12.6 percent year-over-year (YOY) increase, to 19.16 million metric tons. And, at $180 per metric ton, the weighted average price of exported recovered paper through November was up 4.0 percent when compared to the same year-earlier period.

Addressing ferrous scrap, the 22.67 million metric tons exported through November 2011 resulted in a healthy 9.39 percent YOY increase. And, at $469 per metric ton, the weighted average price of exported ferrous scrap was up 15.2 percent over November 2010 levels.

Lastly, the 4.33 billion pounds of aluminum scrap exported through November 2011 equated to a 12.2 percent YOY increase. And, at 87 cents per pound, the average price of exported aluminum scrap through October was up 16.0 percent when compared to its November 2010 standing.

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