102407 Petcore publishes PET collection figures for 2006 - European PET bottle recycling

recorded collection has increasedinfo@petcore.orgThis report “Post Consumer PET recycling in Europe 2006 and Prospects to 2011” was prepared for Petcore by PCI
Petcore announced today that European post-consumer PET collection rates reached 944,000
tonnes in 2006, an 18.5% increase over the previous year.
The increase in PET collection continues, by far, to exceed growth in consumption with 38.6% of
all PET bottles being collected for recycle. Collection continued to grow steadily in most
European countries with the highest increase in rates where national legislation is changing to
allow single trip bottles to replace refillable containers. The
markedly in the UK and Ireland, because the PET component of mixed plastic bales has been
counted for the first time.
“I am delighted with the continued increase in PET collection throughout Europe and our high rate
of recycle. 21 of the countries surveyed now have a higher PET recovery rate than the 22.5%
target rate for plastic recovery by 2008, as set by the Packaging Waste Directive.” said Roberto
Bertaggia, Chairman of the Petcore Board.
With a maximum input capacity of in excess of 1million tonnes of PET bottles spread over more
than 80 companies, Europe has the capability to recycle all the PET bottles collected.
Export to the Far East was down to 14% of collected PET in 2006.
The largest share of the collected PET containers was recycled into polyester fibres. The market
for polyester sheet rapidly gained share in a range of thermoformed applications where the use of
recycled PET increased by 60% over 2005 consumption. Re-use back into PET bottles has also
steadily increased and the rate of use in strapping tape has picked up again after a dip in 2005.
 
Petcore (PET containers recycling Europe) is a non-profit European trade association based in
Brussels. Its mission focuses on sustainable growth for post consumer PET collection whilst
supporting all PET recycling processes as a key integrated part of European Plastics Waste
Management initiatives and by validating and supporting innovative PET solutions from a recycle
perspective
 
Petcore
Ave E VanNieuwenhuyse 4
B-1160 Brussels
E-mail:
 
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PET Packaging, Resin & Recycling Ltd. To purchase a copy of this report please contact PCI directly at
 
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