PET plastic, easily identified by the #1 resin code, is clear, durable, and versatile. It is accepted in virtually all US recycling programs and is recycled at higher rates than other plastics. A PET plastic bottle can be fully recycled and can be made with up to 100 percent post-consumer recycled material. Research shows that compared to a 12 oz. aluminum can and a 12 oz. glass bottle, a 16.9 oz. PET plastic water bottle consumes 80 percent less energy during production, creates 80 percent less solid waste, uses 53 percent less water during production, has a 74 percent lower global warming potential, and generates 68-83 percent fewer emissions contributing to acid rain and smog formation.
“PET plastic bottles play a vital role in a circular economy because they can be designed to be remade and our members are working hard to ensure they get recycled,” stated Laura Stewart, NAPCOR’s executive director. “NAPCOR’s 2023 PET Recycling Report shows that while there were fewer PET bottles available to recycle in the US, there were still more PET bottles recycled in 2023, resulting in a higher recovery percentage. When manufacturers, consumers, retailers, and recyclers work together to ensure PET is selected, collected, and recycled, our planet reaps the rewards.”
In 2023, the collection rate reached the highest level in nearly 30 years due to growth in PET plastic bottles collected and fewer bottles available for recycling compared to 2022. The US collected 1,962 million pounds of PET bottles for recycling in 2023, the highest annual weight for US bottle collection ever recorded, up from 1,911 million pounds in 2022, an increase of 2.7 percent.
