PET Bottles Recycling & Sustainability

Can PET bottles and containers be recycled?

PET is 100% recyclable and highly sustainable. Absolutely, PET is recyclable and highly sustainable. It can be recovered and recycled again and again – back into containers for foods, beverages and personal care products – or into carpet and clothing fibers, automotive parts, construction materials, industrial strapping or other packaging materials. Approximately 1.5 billion pounds of used PET bottles and containers are collected in the U.S. each year for recycling. PET is the most recycled plastic in the U.S.

What process is used to recycle PET?

PET can be recovered, and the material reused, through a series of special washing processes or by a chemical treatment to break down the PET into its raw materials or intermediates, which are then purified and converted into new PET resin.

 

Can I put PET containers in my recycling barrels for curbside collection?

Yes. Virtually every municipal recycling program in North America and Europe accepts PET bottles and containers, which can be easily identified by a triangle-shaped symbol and the number "1" stamped or molded into the bottom or side of the container.

Because PET is so strong yet lightweight, it allows more product to be delivered with less packaging, less weight and less fuel for transport.

 

What kinds of products are made from recycled PET?

Bottles, jars and other containers made of PET can be collected and recycled into a wealth of products. PET can be recycled into new PET bottles and containers, carpet and clothing, industrial strapping, rope, upholstery fabrics, boat sails, automotive parts, fiberfill for winter jackets and sleeping bags, construction materials, and many other items.

 

How can PET have a positive environmental profile if its raw materials are petroleum-based?

PET is a remarkably energy-efficient packaging material, with an environmental impact that compares very favorably to glass, aluminum and other container materials. Although PET's feedstocks are derived from crude oil and natural gas, approximately 40% of that energy is trapped within the PET polymer for recapture and reuse every time PET is recycled. And because PET is very strong yet lightweight, it allows more product to be delivered with less packaging, less weight and less fuel for transport. These factors help explain why life cycle studies of PET have consistently shown it to be a highly sustainable material with a positive environmental profile.

 

What happens to PET bottles and containers that aren't recycled and end up in landfills?

Because PET is resistant to attack by micro-organisms and won't biologically degrade, PET bottles and containers that find their way to the landfill remain inert and pose no risk of leaching or contaminating groundwater. PET bottles and containers are thin walled and can be easily crushed flat, so they take up relatively little landfill space. According to the EPA, only 1% of U.S. municipal solid waste is attributed to PET containers.

 

How do the recycling rates of the United States and Europe compare?

Although the PET recycling rate continues to grow in both the United States and Europe, the Europeans seem more attuned to the value of recycling packaging materials. The U.S. recycling rate for PET was approximately 31% in 2012. By comparison, the 2012 PET recycling rate in Europe was 52%.

 

Can new PET bottles be made from recycled PET?

Yes. Recycling used PET bottles and jars into new food-grade PET bottles and containers is a key example of the environmental benefits and sustainability of PET as a packaging material. The development of modern and efficient plants dedicated to the closed-loop recycling of PET bottles continues to increase around the world.

 

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