Using Recycled Pet
There are remarkable users for collected PET containers.
When you deposit your PET bottles for recycling, you can be confident that they will be made into high quality product. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers are recycled into new plastic bottles and other packaging items, fibers for filling ski jackets and quilts, for carpets, even for knitwear and fleece garments. Reprocessed PET is used to make strapping and industrial textiles, roofing felts and protective clothing. PET containers are fully compatible with the safe incineration of municipal solids waste. In many countries the good calorific value of the polymer is utilized to produce electricity or provide steam for district heating.
Adaptable PET
PET containers are being reused, recycled and recovered but unfortunately, not in India. successful recycling programme depends not only on collecting the empties; recyclables must also be made into products that prove beneficial & cost effective Thanks to the sustained efforts in the west, innovations of manufacturers and recycles, there is no shortage of excellent new users for recovered PET.
Staple Fibre
75% of the recovered European PET produces polyester fibres. Reprocessed flakes are melted and spun into strands. The length and thickness of the fibre determine the products made. Fibre lengths from 5mm to 150mm are termed “staples grades” and are the largest single market. Larger diameter fibres (>6 decitex) fill anoraks, sleeping bags and soft toys.
Recycled PET is also used to spin smaller diameter fibres (c.3 decitex). These can be woven into fleece fabrics for products such as jackets and scarves. Such fabrics can contain over 95%-recycled content.
Major outdoor clothing companies already recognize the benefits of these “recycled garments” and are introducing new ranges. A “recycled” fleece jacket uses 25 PET bottles! Polyester fibers are being engineered to provide the same qualities as upholstery foams. 35%-recycled content has been introduced to these advanced hollow “conjugated” polyester fibers.
Other uses
Egg cartons and other “formed containers” account for some 8% of recycled PET usage. PET containers for toiletries and household products are able to “close the recycling loop” because bottles using a percentage of post consumers PET are being introduced in growing quantities. In some cases the recovered PET is added into the packaging as a sandwich layer, between two layers of virgin polymer. This is known as “multi layer” technology.
Manufacturers predict multi-layer bottles can contain at least 50% recovered PET. Single layer containers can use even higher quantities of recycled material than this. All these containers remain recyclable. Multi-layer soft drink bottles using recycled PET are on sale in a number of countries worldwide including Switzerland and Sweden. Though at a very nascent stage, the PET recycling HAS to come as the usage of PET as best packaging medium is gaining ground rapidly.
