What is PET bottle waste?

In today’s world, the issue of waste recycling is receiving particular attention. In developed countries, household polymer waste plays a significant role in the recycling of secondary raw materials and the development of the secondary PET market. PET packaging occupies a special place within the category of polyethylene terephthalate (polyester) waste. Consequently, plastic packaging is an economically viable raw material due to its recyclability.

Containers made from PET materials are used as packaging for many types of food and beverages. Household PET container waste includes plastic packaging, used bags, plastic bottles, film, disposable tableware, plastic crates, pipes and others.

Some polyethylene terephthalate waste is collected and processed at industrial facilities. In this case, production waste is generated during the processing of raw materials into finished products. However, the majority of the waste collected still consists of used bottles.

PET bottles are widely used in many areas of human life — for storing food and drink, household chemicals and various technical fluids. Therefore, PET bottles rightly occupy a leading position in the polymer waste recycling sector.

Types and categories of PET bottle waste

PET packaging waste is divided into three main types:
● blow-moulded items (jars and bottles) with a distinctive dot-shaped mark on the base;
● sheet materials – PET-Corex films (containers, blister packs, confectionery packaging);
● films.

Each of these types of PET packaging has a different density, so the recycling process for PET bottles takes place separately. PET bottles belong to the blow-moulded category of packaging.

They are widely used for storing the following product groups:
● food – beer, juice, lemonade, dairy products;
● cosmetics – shampoos, lotions, cleaning products;
● paint and varnish – varnishes, paints, solvents;
● automotive – oils, cleaners, fuel.

PET bottles are produced in a wide range and come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes, allowing them to be widely used in the food, chemical and other industries. Consequently, PET bottles are widely used for packaging various liquids — soft drinks, beer, dairy products, medicines, technical mixtures, perfumery products, decorative cosmetics and more.

How recycling works

Across our country, the disposal and/or recycling of PET packaging waste remains a pressing environmental issue. This is in contrast to Europe, where the recycling of PET bottles is entirely under state control.

The most common methods of recycling PET packaging waste are:
1. Energy recovery methods:
● incineration; according to experts, around 40% of polymer waste is incinerated worldwide. Although PET bottles are environmentally friendly packaging, the incineration of polyethylene terephthalate releases a significant amount of carcinogens.

2. Chemical recycling methods:
● Depolymerisation – an energy-intensive method. It allows the use of lower-quality raw materials;
● Pyrolysis – a method of oxygen-free thermal decomposition of organic substances. This method allows for the processing of mixed and contaminated waste;
● Solvolysis utilises methods such as methanolysis, hydrolysis, acidolysis, glycolysis or alcoholysis, depending on the condition and type of PET packaging.

3. Mechanical methods of secondary recycling of PET bottle waste:
● waste destruction, remelting, recrystallisation from solutions and chemical modification.

The above-mentioned technologies have certain advantages and disadvantages. In particular, not all of the described methods of PET processing are applicable to food packaging waste. Mechanical shredding is considered the optimal method for recycling polyethylene terephthalate waste, including PET bottles.
Stages in the recycling of PET bottles:
1. Collection of used PET bottles (via specially organised collection points, under contract with waste collection companies, collected from waste processing plants, or collected directly from municipal solid waste landfills);
2. Sorting of containers into coloured and clear categories, initial cleaning of PET bottle waste, removal of labels, residual contents and caps;
3. Mechanical shredding using specialised equipment;
4. Final washing of the raw material with a caustic soda solution and separation of unwanted particles;
5. Agglomeration – sintering of plastic flakes at high temperature;
6. Granulation – conversion of the shredded mass into granules of uniform size and weight (recycled PET granules).

The benefits of recycling PET bottles

The advantages and benefits of recycling PET bottles: protecting the environment, improving the country’s ecological situation, and a cost-effective business venture. The proper collection and subsequent recycling of secondary raw materials help to address the significant environmental problem of rubbish dumps and landfill sites.

Furthermore, there is a growing global shortage of polymer raw materials. Recycling yields approximately 0.8 kg of secondary raw materials from 1 kg of plastic waste. Every PET bottle handed in will be used to manufacture new products, significantly reducing the need to produce new polymers.

The recycling of PET bottles contributes to:
● reducing the consumption of electricity, coal and petroleum products used for waste incineration and disposal;
● the conservation of non-renewable resources (oil);
● a reduction in the energy consumption involved in the production of new plastic;
● a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, thereby preventing the greenhouse effect.

What is made from waste PET bottles

Recycled secondary raw materials derived from PET bottle waste are used in a wide range of applications: the manufacture of plastic parts and components, and the production of a wide variety of finished goods.

Products made from PET bottles are diverse and include:
● recycled polyester and polyester yarns (used in clothing);
● modular flooring, car park surfacing and garden paths;
● polymer films;
● strapping tape;
● containers and packaging materials;
● automotive parts and accessories;
● plastic furniture;
● office and school supplies (rucksacks, pencil cases and pen holders, staplers, hole punches, rulers) and much more.

How and where can you recycle PET bottles?

With a view to further recycling, Plastiker collects plastic bottles from the general public, retail businesses, the catering industry and manufacturing companies. It is important to remember that Plastiker’s recycling collection points only accept PET bottles that have been pre-sorted and separated according to their labelling.

PET bottles can be handed in for recycling according to the following categories:
● beverage bottles (clear, coloured, dark, of any size, marked with a 1);
● PET bottles from dairy products;
● bottles from oil, vinegar and soy sauce (provided the label comes off easily);
● PET bottles from household chemicals (clear and coloured bottles from household chemicals; lids, caps, dispensers and labels may be left on).

The price for PET bottle waste varies and is determined based on the quantity and quality of the secondary raw material. The prices for PET waste, depending on the type and volume of secondary raw material purchased, are shown below.

Sorting is a crucial stage in the process of accepting plastic bottles and the subsequent recycling of PET bottle waste.
PET bottles suitable for recycling are identified as follows:
1. PET or PETE bottles marked with the number 1. Such bottles are most often used for water or juice;
2. Polyethylene bottles of the PEHD, HDPE, LDPE or PE categories with a number inside a triangle. These are used for storing dairy products and packaging household chemicals.

Ukrainian facilities rarely process opaque PET bottles in white, yellow and black.
If you wish to hand over a large wholesale consignment of waste, the collection of recyclable materials is carried out by the company’s vehicles under pre-agreed terms.

It is important to remember that the collection, acceptance of plastic bottles and recycling of PET bottle waste is an investment in the future and the preservation of the environment for future generations.

Delivery by the company’s transport for orders of 200 kg or more