Northeast Recycling Council: Q1 2025 Shows Slight Recovery in Commodity Values

Waste Advantage Magazine • May 23, 2025

NERC’s Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) Commodity Values Survey Report for the period January – March 2025 showed a slight jump in the average commodity prices for Q1. The average value of all commodities increased by 9% without residuals to $102.34 and 8% with residuals to $89.62, as compared to last quarter. Single stream increased by 12% without residuals and 11% with residuals, while dual stream / source separated increased by 10% without residuals and 9% with residuals compared to last quarter.


The average percentage for outbound tons marketed per commodity in calendar year 2024 showed decreases for all commodities as compared to 2022, except for polypropylene and bulky rigids, which increased by 40% and 29%, respectively. We also see an increase in mixed glass and residue, as compared to 2022, by 31% and 8%, respectively, further offsetting the decreases in marketed commodity percentages across the board. Notably, green, brown, and clear glass had the largest fall with clear glass decreasing by 77%. Changes in calculation methodology may affect these trends. Percentages are derived from tonnages reported for calendar year 2024 as opposed to percentage breakdowns in previous years.


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ReMA Partner NERC Opens Annual Emerging Professionals Program

By Recycled Materials Association • July 29, 2025
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Coke bottler’s switch to clear PET provides lessons learned

By Resource Recycling • June 18, 2025
A recent case study from the Northeast Recycling Council offers insights on transitioning packaging materials, gleaned from a regional Coca-Cola bottler that switched from green PET to clear for several of its products. The case study, part of NERC’s Guide to Increasing Recycling Supply , explores the process experienced by Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast. The local bottler sells drinks from Coke, Keurig Dr Pepper, Fairlife milk and others in New England and upstate New York. Coca-Cola North America announced in August 2022 it was switching to clear PET packaging for its Sprite, Fresca and Mello Yello drinks. Like other beverage brands, Coca-Cola sells concentrates and syrups to its nearly 70 bottling partners in North America for manufacture, packaging and distribution, but does not own or operate most local bottling companies, according to its website. The primary objective of the switch was to improve the quality of post-consumer PET bales by reducing color contamination, which in turn would improve bottle recyclability and increase the efficiency of plastic reprocessing, the report said. The company did not publish any formal goals, but the move aimed to help increase supply of PCR suitable for use in food-grade applications, according to NERC. Although the study acknowledges that Coca-Cola’s initiative was voluntary as part of its internal sustainability strategy, the lessons learned can be useful for other companies considering making changes. Read the full article here.

NERC states preference for mechanical recycling

By Waste Today Magazine • June 9, 2025
The Brattleboro, Vermont-based Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) has adopted a policy position on chemical recycling that was developed by a subcommittee of its Chemical Recycling Committee. NERC, whose members are drawn from 11 northeastern states, says the purpose of the policy statement is to articulate guiding principles for environmentally responsible chemical recycling of plastics, which it notes also is referred to as molecular or advanced recycling. NERC's Chemical Recycling Committee was established to better understand these processes and their environmental impacts to make informed policy decisions. In line with its mission of moving toward a more circular and sustainable economy, NERC says mechanical recycling currently is the preferred method of plastic waste processing, as it creates fewer environmental impacts than other currently available chemical recycling processes. View the full article here.