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Compiled below are some of NAPCOR's most frequently asked questions about PET recycling and reclamation and the
answers to them. If you have additional questions that are not answered below, please
contact NAPCOR. Also see: PET Safety FAQs.
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| Bottle caps and neck rings are typically made of polypropylene or polyethylene plastics which have a different specific gravity than PET. This difference allows caps and neck rings to be mechanically removed in a float/sink process. NAPCOR recommends crushing the empty PET container and then replacing the cap; this helps with bale compaction and allows the cap material to be captured and recycled. | |
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| The choice of specific baling equipment at your facility should be a function of your recycling program design and budget, specific market specifications, and facility throughput requirements. | |
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| Yes. However horizontal balers are considered superior, as they have a motor ad piston/cylinder configuration that can achieve greater compression ratings than most downstroke (also known as vertical) balers. | |
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| Not necessarily. Grinding requires significant investment in capital equipment and is subject to strict and difficult-to-meet quality control requirements. | |
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| Cups are the single largest component of the PET thermoform stream. Currently, there are only limited opportunities for their recycling, but this is changing rapidly as more reclaimers are making the investments necessary to handle cups, either as part of the residential thermoform stream, or as part of a recycling program with bottles at special events, stadiums, and other venues. | |
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| PET Reclaimer List | |
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| Yes. Most markets currently accept light blue bottles. They are typically mixed in with other transparent PET bottles in predominantly clear and green bales. A list of PET reclaimers can be accessed on this web site (click link above). | |
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| NAPCOR members | |
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| A list of NAPCOR's manufacturer members can be viewed on this web site and all have recycled content PET package products. Click on the above NAPCOR member list link and from that page, click on the green category heading for bottles or thermoforms. | |
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| APR Buyers & Sellers List | |
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| Yes, they are called split loads. Contact the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) for a market list. | |
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| Post-consumer markets are dependent on quantity, quality, market conditions and distance to market. PET is a commodity and is therefore subject to periodic fluctuations in the marketplace. | |
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| The marketplace determines the location of reclamation plants based on current conditions including supply and demand for various geographical areas. It is not NAPCOR’s position to either assist in recruiting reclamation facilities or determine where such facilities should be placed. It is important to note that North American PET reclaimers purchase truckload quantities from all areas of the United States. | |
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| They may not be up-to-date on market conditions. All PET bottles and jars are recyclable. You may wish to forward this information to your market representatives or refer them here for more information. | |
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| Certain molds make it difficult to create a legible code. In addition, the size and clarity of the recycling codes are not consistent in plastic coding laws enacted in various states. | |
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| NAPCOR Educator Resources | |
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| NAPCOR has produced an educational video that includes an overview of the PET container creation and recycling processes. If you would like a copy this free video, please visit the NAPCOR Educator Resources page to place your order. | |
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| No. PET bottles make up less than 2% of the volume of municipal solid waste. | |
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| PET in Venues and Events | |
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| PET plastic bottles are recyclable and will decrease the volume of waste generated at your venue, as well as potentially generate revenue from the collected containers. Click on the link above and scroll down the page for links to our Single-Serve Recycling Toolkit and our Venue & Event Recycling in the USA Report. | |
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