What is PET?

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, shatterresistant 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.

Fun Facts About PET The PET bottle was patented in 1973 by chemist Nathaniel Wyeth (brother of distinguished American painter Andrew Wyeth).

The first PET bottle was recycled in 1977.

An estimated 9,400 curbside collection programs and 10,000 drop-off programs collect PET plastic in the United States, currently.

Approximate number of PET beverage bottles per pound: 16 oz. -- 18 bottles per pound 20 oz. -- 19 bottles per pound 1 liter -- 12 bottles per pound 2 liter -- 9 bottles per pound 3 liter -- 5 bottles per pound Cubic yards conserved in a landfill by recycling PET beverage bottles: 4,800 recycled 16-ounce bottles saves a cubic yard 4,050 recycled 20-ounce bottles saves a cubic yard 3,240 recycled 1-liter bottles saves a cubic yard 2,430 recycled 2-liter bottles saves a cubic yard 1,350 recycled 3-liter bottles saves a cubic yard Recycling a ton of PET containers saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space.

According to the EPA, recycling a pound of PET saves approximately 12,000 BTU's.

The average household generated 42 pounds of PET plastic bottles in the year 2005.

Custom bottles (which are bottles used for products other than carbonated soft drinks) represent 62% of all PET bottles available for recycling.

Nineteen 20 oz. PET bottles yield enough fiber for an extra large T-shirt, or enough to make one square foot of carpet.

It takes 63 20 oz. PET bottles to make a sweater.

Fourteen 20 oz. PET bottles yield enough fiberfill for a ski jacket.

It takes 114 20 oz. PET bottles to make enough fiberfill for a sleeping bag.Â