What is PET? Corporate Social Responsibility

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 was discovered and patented in England in 1941. 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, bakery goods, produce, frozen foods, salad dressings and oil, cosmetics and household cleaner and many other products. 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, resalable, shatter-resistant and recyclable. Recycled PET flakes can be used to make many new products, including fiber for polyester carpet; fabric for T-shirts, long underwear, athletic shoes, luggage, upholstery and sweaters; 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.

PET is the Most Widely Recycled Plastic in the World

Over 1.5 billion pounds of PET were recycled in 2010; more than 1 billion pounds of recycled PET material was used in U.S. and Canadian end products. PET can be Recycled Multiple Times and Used in a Variety of Products

PET Recycling Saves Energy and Reduces Emissions

For every pound of recycled PET flake used, energy use is reduced by 84%; greenhouse gas by emission by 71%.