Planet Money had the reverse side of this less than a month ago - a recycler barely making it by IIRC. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/03/27/395815221/episo

Planet Money had the reverse side of this less than a month ago - a recycler barely making it by IIRC. http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/03/27/395815221/episode-613-trash http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2015/03/27/395815221/episode-... This is also heavily influenced by oil prices - if oil is cheaper then plastics made from it are cheaper but the collection / cleaning / processing costs for recycled materials aren't nearly as volatile. I'm pretty sure recycled metals don't have the same issues.