Recycling Grade Value Calculator

Recycled plastic never trades at the virgin resin price — this calculator builds up its estimated value per kilogram by multiplying that virgin price through a chain of market-reality discounts. It starts with a resin factor (PET and HDPE hold the strongest secondary markets at roughly half of virgin price; PVC and mixed "other" plastics are barely recyclable and sit near 10-15%), then applies a form factor (pelletized material commands full value, while baled scrap that still needs washing and regrinding trades at less than half that), a color factor (natural or clear material beats single-color, which beats mixed-color blends nobody can match to a spec), and a source factor (post-consumer recycled content, PCR, trades at a discount to post-industrial regrind, PIR, because it typically carries more variability and contamination — though it can also earn a 10% premium here to reflect regulatory-driven demand for recycled content in some markets, so the two effects partly offset). Contamination is modeled as a straight linear penalty: every 1% of contaminants — labels, adhesive residue, other resins — cuts value by about 3%.

All of these multiply together, so a batch that's weak on several fronts at once (mixed color, baled, contaminated, low-value resin) can end up worth a small fraction of virgin price rather than a modest discount. The resulting grade (Premium, Standard, Economy, Low-grade) is just a threshold read on the final percentage-of-virgin figure. Treat the output as a directional estimate for negotiating with reclaimers, not a quoted price — actual scrap markets move with oil prices, regional collection volumes, and buyer-specific specs that this simplified model doesn't capture.