Paper and Plastic Prices for Yesterday

I was reading a thread asking weather or not other recyclables (Paper and Plastic) are worth it, so I decided to give it a try.

Here's what I did, I live in kind of an elderly community so I go around the day before trash day and tell people I will take their garbage to the curb for them if they let me keep there recycables and any metal their throwing out. I usually just keep the alum cans but this night I took the paper and plastic also. Here are the results.

Yard: Nevada Recycling

Paper: 500 lbs x .07 /lb = 35.00

PET (Water & Soda Bottles): 20 lbs x .10 /lb = 2.00

Mixed Plastic: 275 lb x .03 /lb = 8.25

Total = 45.25

In my opinion Plastic is so not worth it, it takes up way to much room in the bed and I probably lost money in gas from going around and collecting it because I had to make 2 trips, that's how much room it takes up! Plus I spent about 2 hours crushing it up so I wouldn't have to make 2 trips to the yard.

Paper is ok you definitely make more money off metal so I'm going to stick to metal, but if I so happen to come across a large pile of paper ill grab it.

Plastic and Paper can be worth money if you have space, a bailer and a big truck.

Yeah but how much money, the cheapest baler I could find cost 500 + shipping + gas money... how many loads would I have to take in before I make a profit. I'd rather fill my truck up with metal, it takes up way less space it weighs more and sells for more and I don't have to spend money on special equipment.

But the baler will make a half ton bale about 2x4 or 3x5 in size, a utility trailer on the back of the truck, then you could have one in the bed and one on the trailer. Be moving at least a ton every trip.

At least you get something for that stuff. Where I live they will take paper and plastic but do not pay for it.

By me a new place opend up and they are paying .30 a pound for #1 plastic bottles. I wish I could find someone for paper, cardboard and other...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kris Kringle

Wasn't to long ago that Steel here was at $.07 a LB

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7.5 cents here now.

Ok, so PET sells for 200 a ton here, and a baler makes 1/2 tons bales..

lets see, 500 + shipping + gas money = 600??. If I get 40 lbs a week it will take me a year to get a ton (2000/40 = 50 weeks) and I need 3 tons just to break even (3 x 200 = 600) so 3 years before I start making a profit?!?!

Hell no not for me lol I'd rather get metal and make a profit on every trip.

I guess if you had a good source for bottles it could be worth it its just not to me. Anyone know of a better source than going around and asking your neighbors?

AZ is not a deposit state but the new yard that takes #1 plastic bottles for .30 a pound now buys glass bottles / jars for .05 a pound. That should add up quick. I'll try it out. A few more items that I am not going to give to the city in there blue recycling bins!

I used to recycle plastic, paper and glass back in the 80s. I used to get .06 lb for PET and HDPE and .03 for glass.

Glass is easy to recycle, all you need are barrels and sort by color. As I recall, my 1972 full size chevy longbed could haul 10 barrels at once and it weighed around 2,500 lbs.

Best way to do plastic is with the large bags used as gaylord liners. I can remember baling it with a kitchen trash compactor too.