PET is one of the most used plastic packaging materials in the world and it is 100% recyclable. Bottle-to-bottle recycling means more sustainable packaging. This implies maintaining the availability of high quality PET materials that will enable the industry to use recycled content in bottles without processing issues, discoloration and other visual defects.

PET is special. It is near infinitely recyclable and can play a key role in realising the circular economy. Tackling single use plastics is a significant challenge, but not all plastic packaging is the same. PET(polyethylene terephthalate) is easily recognisable due to its #1 symbol.

PET bottles are made to be remade. As the only plastic which can be 100% recycled in closed loop, bottle-to-bottle recycling, this versatile material is the complete opposite of disposable ‘single-use’ plastics. PET bottles are not waste. A PET plastic bottle has many potential after life uses. 

Its qualities which have been stated above have led to its widespread adoption in the water and beverage sectors. 70% of carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices, dilutable drinks and bottled water are currently packaged in PET bottles. PET plastic is also excellently used in bakery products, peanut butter jars and even in frozen foods packaging. It is also used to hold cosmetics.

Sometimes the quality of the plastic can deteriorate throughout its lifetime due to use or in the recycling process. While PET that has deteriorated cannot be used for food or drink packaging, its high recyclability quality means that it can still be repurposed for a number of other uses.

PET that cannot be used to make new bottles can still be used to make polyester fibre. This has a variety of uses, including making carpets and fibrefill for soft furnishings, and PET can even be turned into roofing insulation.