MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — Recycling programs around Central Wisconsin are feeling the impact of China’s recent ban on the importation of recycled materials, and Dale Marth from ‘Advanced Disposal’ in Marshfield says the significantly reduced market also means lower prices.
“They ban any import of recyclables from any foreign country, United States included,” Marth explained. “And unfortunately China was our largest market for paper and plastic, so that significantly impacted pricing for the most part.”
The economics of recycling have changed dramatically, Marth says. “In the past it was usually just paper that had any value to it, and now it’s at a ‘negative value.’ So we are paying to have that material processed and recycled.”
In the wake of China’s new recycling initiatives, Wisconsin’s numerous paper mills remain a significant market for recycled paper materials.
