Over 60 billion bottles recycled in Europe in 2012, with an overall collection rate of more than 52% of all post-consumer PET bottles available: PETCORE Europe

Kendall Sinclair

BRUSSELS , August 12, 2013 (press release) – PET is the largest plastic material recycled in Europe, with the equivalent of more than 60 billion bottles recycled in 2012.

PETCORE EUROPE Chairman Roberto Bertaggia said: “Despite the poor economic situation in the European region, the consumption of PET bottles is still showing clear trends of penetration into new market segments through innovative packaging and the recognised capability of PET to be recycled.

From a sustainability perspective, our industry is thrilled to have achieved an overall collection rate in 2012 of more than 52% of all post-consumer PET bottles available in the region.”

“With the exception of two members, all EU Member States managed to achieve PET recycling rates above the Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive target of 22.5% for plastics.” he added.

Casper van den Dungen, PET Chairman at Plastics Recyclers Europe, underlined that “The overall European collection of PET bottles to 1.68Mt reflecting an increase of 5.6% compared to the previous year. This has helped to ease the overcapacity situation of recyclers with an average plant utilisation of 80%.”

“In 2012 the fibres market was still the single largest end-market for recycled PET, but strong growth in the sheet and bottle market are putting these three markets at similar levels.” said Casper van den Dungen.

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Petcore Europe is a non-profit European trade association based in Brussels. Petcore-Europe‘s mission is to ensure that the PET industry and its associations are aligned to deliver increased value and sustainable growth in the PET value chain, to ensure that PET is positioned and recognized as an environmentally sustainable packaging material, to validate and support innovative packaging solutions from a recycling perspective, and to work with relevant parties to ensure sustainable growth for post-consumer PET collection and the recycling of PET to meet the needs of the value chain.

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