POLYFINDERENPRICES
Plastic scrap prices: what really sets the price per kg
There is no single price for plastic scrap. Two lots of the same polymer can be worth very different amounts depending on how clean, sorted and processed they are, how much there is, and where it has to travel. The only reliable price for your lot is the one a buyer offers for it — this page explains what buyers look at, so you can ask the right buyers and compare offers.
The six factors buyers price
- Polymer and grade. PET, HDPE, PP, LDPE, PVC, PS, ABS, PMMA and their sub-grades (bottle-grade PET, pipe-grade PVC, natural vs coloured HDPE) have separate markets.
- Form. Loose scrap, bales, regrind (flakes), washed flakes and pellets (granules) are different products. Every processing step the buyer does not have to pay for adds value.
- Colour. Clear and natural material is worth more than mixed colours; mixed colours more than black-only outlets.
- Contamination. Labels, caps, metal, paper, moisture and other polymers lower the value. A precise contamination figure and photos speed up offers.
- Volume and regularity. A one-off truckload and a monthly contract are priced differently. Regular supply is worth more to a processor.
- Location and logistics. Freight to the buyer, export paperwork for waste shipments and incoterm (EXW, FCA, FOB, CFR) are part of the price.
Why online price lists rarely match your lot
Published “today's rates” are averages for a standard grade in one local market, often for small quantities sold to a local collector. Industrial buyers price each lot on its specification. Use price lists as a sanity check, not as the price you should accept.
How to get real prices for your material
- Write a precise lot description: polymer, form, colour, contamination, packing (bales, big bags), quantity, location, availability.
- Add clear photos of the material and of the packing.
- Send it to several qualified buyers at the same time — processors who actually use this material, not only traders.
- Compare offers on the same incoterm, and ask for a sample check when the gap is large.
Prices by material
- LOT 01PET bottle scrap: who buys it and what it is worthWho buys PET bottle scrap, bales and flakes, what decides the price per kg (colour, labels, caps, washing) and how to reach PET recyclers.
- LOT 02HDPE scrap and regrind: buyers and what sets the priceWho buys HDPE scrap — drums, crates, bottles, pipe — and HDPE regrind or granules, and what decides the price: colour, source and contamination.
- LOT 03PP scrap: who buys polypropylene regrind and granulesWho buys polypropylene (PP) scrap — injection scrap, big bags, raffia, battery cases — and PP regrind or granules, and what drives the price.
- LOT 04LDPE film scrap: who buys it and what makes it valuableWho buys LDPE and LLDPE film scrap — stretch film, shrink film, bags, agricultural film — and why clean, clear film is worth the most.
- LOT 05PVC scrap and regrind: who buys it and how it is valuedWho buys rigid and flexible PVC scrap — window profiles, pipe, edge banding, cable — and PVC regrind, and what decides its value.
- LOT 06ABS and polystyrene scrap: who buys itWho buys ABS, HIPS, GPPS and EPS scrap and regrind — from electronics housings, appliances and packaging — and what affects the price.
- LOT 07PMMA (acrylic) scrap: who buys itWho buys PMMA (acrylic) scrap — cast and extruded sheet, light guides, regrind — and why cast and extruded acrylic are kept apart.
- LOT 08Mixed and hard plastic scrap: who buys itWhere mixed plastic scrap and hard plastics go, why sorting by polymer multiplies its value, and how to describe a mixed lot to buyers.
See also
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