Sustainability Goals
Retailers and brand companies have revisited their commitments to packaging sustainability. See how PET supports these goals.
Retailer Commitments
PET Thermoform Recycling
PET thermoform packaging—clamshells, cups, tubs, lids, boxes, trays, egg cartons and similar rigid, non-bottle packaging made of PET (#1) plastic resin—is technically recyclable with PET bottles, but not all thermoforms are PET. Several PET reclaimers accept thermoforms in bottle bales, as long as auto-sort systems and best practices are in place.
PET thermoform recycling has increased substantially in the United States and Canada since NAPCOR began tracking it in 2011. Between that time and 2019 domestic reclamation of PET thermoforms has more than quadrupled, though some technical and design for recyclability issues remain. NAPCOR has released a best practices document which provides a more detailed overview: 2020 PET Thermoform Recycling: A Progress Report.
NAPCOR is working through key challenges to expand domestic recovery of this valuable, sustainable material without jeopardizing existing PET bottle recycling assets.
If you are considering adding PET thermoforms to your recycling program, or redirecting them from a mixed plastic bale to a domestic PET market, consider the following:
- Ask your PET buyer(s) if they’ll accept mixed bottle/thermoform bales (and at what percentage), or dedicated PET thermoform bales.
- Not all thermoforms are PET. Before you attempt to separate and market PET thermoforms, implement best sorting practices to minimize contamination and maximize quality. Most reclaimers currently accepting PET thermoforms prefer auto-sorted material.
- Investments in best practices to meet domestic buyer specifications will pay off. Clean, high-quality bales of PET bottles mixed with a specified percentage of PET thermoforms can command good domestic market value.
Learn more about PET Thermoforms with our PET Thermoform Fact Sheet.