Procurement Market Intelligence Report
Recycling Services
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Recycling Services Global Overview
Definition
Summary
Recycling service providers collect recyclable materials and operate facilities that remove recyclable materials from the general waste stream. Suppliers typically collect plastic, glass, paper, metal, electronic, and construction waste. The main buyers of recycling services include governments, commercial businesses, and construction and industrial firms.
This Report Includes:
- Plastic, Glass, Paper, Metal, Electronic & Construction Waste Collection
- Waste Sorting
Not in this Report:
- Municipal Solid Waste
- Hazardous Waste Collection
- All Other Waste Collection & Disposal Services
Global Recycling Services Procurement Trends
Discover the top international trends affecting procurement in the global Recycling Services market.
Warning Trends
Tariffs could negatively impact the cleaning equipment and supplies sector
- The Trump Administration’s reciprocal tariffs, which apply general tariff rate increases to most leading US trade partners, are set to take effect on August 7, after the administration finalized the rates on August 1.
- According to CleanLink, increases in tariffs are expected to impact the cleaning equipment and supplies industry by raising the cost of manufacturing and, thus, the price of products. The tariff increase could also spark supply-chain disruptions, which could further put upward pressure on pricing if goods are in limited supply.
- China, a major exporter to the United States of many products in the cleaning equipment and supplies industry, faces a base tariff of 54.0%. Likewise, Germany, a major exporter of chemicals and cleaning products, and the rest of the European Union face a 15.0% tariff, which will raise the cost of imported cleaning supplies and manufacturers' operating costs, putting upward pressure on market prices.
- Canada and Mexico, major sources for a variety of cleaning equipment and supplies, will now face 35.0% and 25.0% tariff rates, respectively, for exports to the United States. These tariffs will make it more difficult for Mexican and Canadian suppliers to compete in the US market, driving up domestic prices and pressuring supply chains.
Neutral
Crude oil prices dip, but natural gas and fuel prices remain volatile in 2025
- Oil prices have been falling with the introduction of higher tariffs and the predicted decline in global demand. The OPEC+ group of countries also announced they would be unwinding production cuts and increasing their collective output target for May by 411,000 barrels per day.
- Trade wars, ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, and general unrest in the Middle East are causing uncertainty surrounding oil prices, which has led to volatility in prices. In the third week of May 2025, crude oil prices hit $63.67 per barrel, but volatility remains as geopolitical concerns remain.
- Natural gas prices rallied early in 2025 with colder-than-usual temperatures in the United States and high demand, topping out at $4.68/MMBtu in March. Prices have since fallen with the onset of trade wars and weakening demand projections to $3.64/MMBtu in the third week of May 2025.
- The national average of gasoline prices has been rising slightly due to refinery maintenance/outages and blending issues, hitting a national average of $3.15 per gallon in the third week of May 2025. However, gasoline futures have been volatile, falling due to fears of oversupply and deepening concerns about weakening demand with tariffs, but rising after trade deals.
Global Recycling Services Market - Suppliers by Region
| Country/Region | Number of Suppliers |
|---|---|
| #1 Europe | 69,430 |
| #2 China | 35,500 |
| #3 India | 28,915 |
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Geography Drilldown - US, Canada & Europe
Average Cost of Recycling Services
United States
2026 Market Pricing$100.00 to $X,XXX.XX
per 4-yard recycling binCanada
Europe
Average Price
Prices in the Recycling Services market range from $100.00 to $X,XXX.XX, depending on Container Size, Type of Material, Frequency of Pickups and Surcharges. For example, lower prices are associated with Recycling bin, whereas higher prices are associated with Dumpster.
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Recycling Services Category Price Trends
Pricing trends are indicated by the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during a set period of time. For the Recycling Services market, prices in the US have grown 1.8% from 2022 to 2025. and +1.2% in Europe.
United States (2022-2025)
Canada (2016-2019)
Compound Annual Growth Rate
Europe (2022-2025)
Compound Annual Growth Rate
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Price trend forecasts are available to subscribers, along with price driver projections and forward-looking cost structure data.
Cost Analysis - Total Cost of Ownership for Recycling Services
Total cost of ownership is Medium in the Recycling Services market. The average cost of ownership differs depending on the contract but generally includes costs negotiated before the contract begins, costs billed during the contract period and unforeseen costs. For example, unforeseen costs in the form of Delays may raise the total cost of ownership unexpectedly.
Negotiated Before
Rentals
Transportation
Unforeseen
Delays
Buyer Power in Procurement Negotiations
In 2026, buyer power amounts to -2.3 in the United States. Buyer power is most positively impacted by Recent Developments. It is most negatively impacted by Product Specialization. Subscribers can access details on eight other factors that impact buyer power. Learn more
United States
Canada
Europe
Buyer power forecasts: your glimpse into the future
Develop strategies for the upcoming year and identify unforeseen opportunities for buying now
- Actionable "Buy Now" and "Buy Later" insights
- Near-real-time updates to current and forecast Buyer Power Scores
- Methodology and weightings for Buyer Power Score Components
Supply Chain Risk
The average level of supply chain risk is assessed as Medium, which has a negative impact on buyer power. The level of supply chain risk is affected by industry volatility, barriers to entry, competition, import penetration, regulation and industry financial risk. Buyers in this market can mitigate procurement and supply chain management risks by monitoring risk levels for individual first and second tier suppliers:
1st
Tier Suppliers
- Truck Manufacturers
- Fuel Dealers
- Industrial Equipment & Machinery Manufacturers
2nd
Tier Suppliers
- Automobile Engine & Engine Parts Manufacturers
- Petroleum Refiners
- Oil & Natural Gas Extractors
- Steel Manufacturers
Biggest Recycling Services Suppliers in the US by Revenue
The largest Recycling Services vendors by revenue in the US are Casella Waste Systems, inc., Republic Services, Inc. and Covanta Holding Corp. Subscribers can sort and filter by market share concentration, profit level and other factors. Learn more
| Supplier | Operational Size | Headquarters | Number of Employees | Market Share (%) | Market Share Performance (3yr trend) | Total Revenue ($ million) | Profit Level (%) | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GFL Environmental Inc. | VAUGHAN | >10,000 | 10-15 | |||||
| Republic Services, Inc. | National | PHOENIX, AZ | >10,000 | 15-20 | ||||
| Waste Management, Inc. | National | HOUSTON, TX | >10,000 | 25+ | ||||
| Veolia Environnement | Global | Aubervilliers, FR | >10,001 | < 5 | ||||
| Clean Harbors Inc. | International | NORWELL, MA | >10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| Waste Connections, Inc. | International | THE WOODLANDS, TX | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| Covanta Holding Corp | International | MORRISTOWN, NJ | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| Casella Waste Systems, inc. | International | RUTLAND, VT | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
| Waste Industries USA Inc. | National | Raleigh, NC | 1,001-10,000 | < 5 | ||||
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Subscribers can access vendor information on Canadian and European suppliers, too. We also offer custom research services to help with vendor sourcing anywhere in the world.
Profit Analysis
The average profit margin across vendors in the Recycling Services market is 10.0% and steady. Profit levels shift depending on suppliers' spend on wages, purchases and overhead. The highest cost component for vendors is Purchases. The cost trend for this component is falling, when considering movement between 2025 and 2026. To understand cost forecasts for 2027 and uncover the implications on profit, start your subscription. Learn more
Vendor & Supply Chain Analysis
Vendors are at a low risk of going bankrupt, partly due to the long-term contracts that ensure a steady supplier revenue flow. Furthermore, environmental sustainability trends have resulted in strong demand for market services; minimal vendor risk is beneficial to buyers because it decreases the likelihood of service disruptions due to the financial instability of a supplier.
Market share concentration is high, as the top four suppliers account for more than 50.0% of market revenue due to high merger and acquisition activity present in the market, which undermines buyer power by preventing aggressive price-based competition and limiting the availability of viable suppliers to choose from.
Fuel dealers largely account for the moderate risk level in the supply chain due to the volatility of crude oil prices and the resulting fluctuations in gasoline prices. However, the diversity of this market’s customer base helps mitigate supply chain risk.
The United States imports more granulator machines than it exports, highlighting the active presence of foreign competition. While this suggests a dynamic global market, it also implies that buyers may encounter fewer domestic options. Depending on foreign sources could result in prolonged delivery times and elevated costs due to importation fees and tariffs.
Supplier Information
GFL Environmental Inc.
GFL Environmental Holdings Inc. is a diversified environmental services company in North America. Its business consists of three service categories: Solid Waste Management, which includes the collection, transportation, transfer, recycling, and disposal of non-hazardous solid waste for municipal, residential,... Subscribe to learn more
Republic Services, Inc.
Republic Services, Inc. is a public company operating nationally in the real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific and technical services and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include dumpster rental, total waste management & Subscribe to learn more
Waste Management, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc. is a public company operating nationally in the real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific and technical services and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include dumpster rental, total waste management & recycling,... Subscribe to learn more
Casella Waste Systems, inc.
Casella Waste Systems, inc. is a public company operating internationally in the professional, scientific and technical services and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include total waste management & recycling, solid waste collection & disposal... Subscribe to learn more
Clean Harbors Inc.
Clean Harbors Inc. is a public company operating internationally in the manufacturing, real estate and rental and leasing, professional, scientific and technical services and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include lubricating oils, dumpster Subscribe to learn more
Covanta Holding Corp
Covanta Holding Corp is a public company operating internationally in the administration, business support and waste management services sector. The company's offerings include solid waste collection & disposal services, medical waste disposal services, waste incineration services and recycling services. Subscribe to learn more
Quest Resource Holding Corporation
Quest Resource Holding Corporation is a public company operating nationally in the administration, business support and waste management services sector. The company's offerings include tire collection & disposal and recycling services. Founded in 2007, the company is currently headquartered in FRISCO, Texas,... Subscribe to learn more
Veolia Environnement
Veolia Environnement is a public company operating globally in the manufacturing, professional, scientific & technical services and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include septic tanks, water treatment chemicals, total waste management & recycling,... Subscribe to learn more
Waste Connections, Inc.
Waste Connections, Inc. is a public company operating internationally in the real estate and rental and leasing and administration, business support and waste management services sectors. The company's offerings include dumpster rental, water hauling & vacuum services, solid waste collection & disposal services,... Subscribe to learn more
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Procurement Management KPIs for the Recycling Services Market
Managing vendor performance throughout the contract period is easier when tracking specific key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, buyers should monitor Average Response Time and Employee Training Rate. Buyers may experience better performance throughout their contracts if they establish service level agreements (SLAs) based on Emergency Response Times and other factors.
| KPI | Level of Importance (1-5) | Measurements | Key Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Response Time |
|
Total number of inquiries or tickets submitted Total time to response for all tickets |
The average response time measures the average period of time it takes for the supplier's customer service or support team to respond to inquiries from the buyer. The average response time can be used as an indicator to assess how quickly and efficiently a supplier is able to respond to requests for service or issues with previous service. |
| Employee Training Rate |
|
Total number of employees who have undergone training Total number of employees who have successfully completed training |
The employee training rate measures the percentage of employees that have successfully undergone training related to service provided within the market. The employee training rate can be used to indicate whether or not a supplier is providing quality employees that have been properly trained on safety practices, emergency responses, and other practices that will be critical to ensuring high-quality service. |
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Questions to Ask During Procurement Negotiations
How can I gain leverage during negotiations?
Regulation
How do you communicate changes in regulations to your customers?
As regulations change, how do you train your staff so they remain up to date with rules and procedures?
Logistics
How do you respond in situations involving severe weather or natural disasters?
How do you communicate or connect with drivers and staff while they are conducting collections?
Service Performance
How do you respond to a large influx in demand? Will the quality of my service decrease with rising demand?
Are your resources, such as staff, trucks and machinery, capable of meeting an increase demand?
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Recycling Services RFP Guidelines
What should my RFP include?
Organizational Overview
Buyers should provide a general overview of their organization and operations, including facility type (e.g., manufacturing facility or residential property) and size.
Buyers should specify in which cities, states and regions they operate.
Statement Of Need
Buyers should provide detailed information about the types of recycling materials (e.g., metal, paper, plastic or glass) generated.
Buyers should provide detailed information about recycling volumes (i.e., tonnage per calendar year).
Project Budget
If one exists, buyers should specify their budget for the desired recycling services as well as other related products and services.
Vendors should provide a detailed cost breakdown for the requested recycling services, including any additional fees and taxes.
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We display average pricing information, trends and market data.
Our Reports include:
- Opportunity assessment
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- Price environment and market pricing
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- Supply chain and vendors
- Global supplier breakdown
- Market share concentration
- Regulation and business requirements
- Vendor management and KPIs
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