Cardboard prices drop as low demand hits companies

In recent weeks, paper recyclers say prices have fallen by around a third, driven by falling demand recorded in South East Asia, India and Europe, the largest markets for UK recyclers.

But in the last couple of years, there have been some fundamental changes to how China deals with waste. In 2017 strict rules have been put in place by the Chinese government which dramatically minimizes the amount of waste that the country will import.

UK paper mills are full and globally, waste is set to increase by over 50% within the next thirty years. With all of these factors in play, prices for recycled cardboard have dropped to a quarter of their previous price.

Those open and running are also offering lower prices for materials as the knock-on effects of low demand and higher running costs run through the supply chain.

One recycler in the south of England said that, since the turn of the month, prices for exported mixed paper have fallen by around a third to £90, while old KLS (OCC cardboard) has followed a similar pattern to around £100.

Others have also described prices as falling from anywhere between 15-35%. At Cawleys we are still offering competitive rates on rebates, if you would like to enquire get in touch with our team and we can discuss further!

No volume is too large or too small for us here at Cawleys. Whether you wish to segregate your waste paper using a simple paper and card bin, or using one of our on or off-site balers, we can provide the service you need. Varying grades of paper and cardboard will impact its value, so we can help you segregate effectively at source.