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What is PET?

PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic resin and a form of polyester. Polyethylene terephthalate is a polymer that is formed by combining two monomers: modified ethylene glycol and purified terephthalic acid.

PET is the type of plastic labeled with the #1 code on or near the bottom of bottles and containers and is commonly used to package soft drinks, water, juice, peanut butter, salad dressings and oil, cosmetics and household cleaners.

PET is a popular package for food and non-food products. Manufacturers use PET plastic to package products because of its strength, thermo-stability and transparency. Customers choose PET because it is inexpensive, lightweight, resealable, shatter-resistant and recyclable.

Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) can be used to make many new products, including fiber for polyester carpet; fabric for T-shirts, long underwear, athletic shoes, luggage, upholstery andsweaters; fiberfill for sleeping bags and winter coats; industrial strapping, sheet and film; automotive parts, such as luggage racks, headliners, fuse boxes, bumpers, grilles and door panels; and new PET containers for both food and non-food products.

News & Events
May 17, 2010
Using Recycled PET Saves Energy and Generates Less Greenhouse Gas: New Life Cycle Inventory Study for Recycled PET and HDPE
April 28, 2010
New Study Confirms Recycling Plastics Significantly Reduces Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
April 2010
Final Report - Life Cycle Inventory of 100% Postconsumer HDPE and PET Recycled Resin from Postconsumer Content and Packaging (direct link to pdf file for download).
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A guide to setting up PET recycling programs outside of the conventional curbside and drop-off programs.
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