Prices, demand up, but where's the profit?

New laws in California, Florida and Oregon requiring higher postconsumer content in packaging materials have spurred the demand for recycled material. However, manufacturers are complaining that there is a severe shortage of recycled materials. Analysts believe that the combination of increased domestic demand, production problems and rising export demand for commodity plastics is to blame for the situation. The shortage is so acute that recyclers' profitability has been limited to 23 cents per pound.