Most of the collected PET containers were recycled into polyester fibre products (57 percent), down from 65 percent in 2004 and 70 percent in 2003. In contrast, the market for polyester sheet rapidly gained share (16.2 percent) in a range of thermoformed applications where the use of recycled PET tripled over the past two years.
Re-use back into PET bottles (15.2 percent) has also steadily increased whereas other outlets such as strapping (7.8 percent) remained relatively flat.
Petcore (PET containers recycling Europe) is a non-profit European trade association based in Brussels. Its mission focuses on the development of PET packaging, with a particular emphasis on PET recycling.