CRP Recycling Market Development & Commodity Markets 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor most directly affects the market value of recovered paper commodities?
- Fiber moisture content and contamination level (Correct answer)
- Color of the paper
- Weight of individual sheets
- Age of the paper stock
Correct answer: Fiber moisture content and contamination level
Recovered paper value is primarily driven by fiber quality, moisture content, and contamination levels that affect its usability in remanufacturing.
Question 2: What does the term 'end market' mean in recycling commodity trading?
- A facility that purchases recovered materials for reuse or remanufacturing (Correct answer)
- The final consumer of a retail product
- A landfill that accepts residual waste
- A government agency that regulates recyclables
Correct answer: A facility that purchases recovered materials for reuse or remanufacturing
An end market is any manufacturer or processor that purchases recovered recyclable materials and converts them into new products or raw feedstock.
Question 3: The term 'China Sword' refers to what major market disruption in recycling?
- China's 2018 policy restricting imports of contaminated recyclables (Correct answer)
- A trade war tariff on US aluminum exports
- A new Chinese recycling technology
- A Chinese government subsidy for scrap metal
Correct answer: China's 2018 policy restricting imports of contaminated recyclables
China's National Sword policy in 2018 imposed strict contamination limits (0.5%) on imported recyclables, dramatically disrupting global recycling commodity markets.
Question 4: Which recyclable commodity is typically traded using the ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries) specifications?
- Scrap metals and ferrous materials (Correct answer)
- Yard waste compost
- Construction debris
- Hazardous waste materials
Correct answer: Scrap metals and ferrous materials
ISRI publishes standardized scrap specifications (Scrap Specifications Circular) used industry-wide for trading ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metals.
Question 5: What is 'market development' in the context of recycling programs?
- Expanding the number of businesses that purchase and use recovered materials (Correct answer)
- Building more drop-off collection sites
- Increasing the size of recycling trucks
- Training sorting workers at MRFs
Correct answer: Expanding the number of businesses that purchase and use recovered materials
Market development for recycling focuses on identifying, cultivating, and expanding buyers and end-users for recovered materials to ensure stable, profitable outlets.
Question 6: How does commodity price volatility most affect municipal recycling programs?
- It creates unpredictable revenue streams and can turn programs from profitable to cost-generating (Correct answer)
- It has no effect because municipalities receive fixed government subsidies
- It only affects private haulers, not public programs
- It only impacts programs in rural areas
Correct answer: It creates unpredictable revenue streams and can turn programs from profitable to cost-generating
When commodity prices drop, programs that relied on material revenue must find alternative funding or face service cuts, making budget planning difficult.
