MILAN – A positive sign for the environment has come from Europe. According to the latest report from the non-profit association, Petcore Europe, over 66 billion 1.5 litre PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles were recycled in 2014. The study is based on a European survey conducted amongst experts on the recycling process, waste sorting and PET recycling. The data indicate that 57% of the bottles and containers which go out onto the market were collected during the year to be transformed into PET.
The importance of PET
PET is a material which is 100% recyclable. In 2014, 1.8 million tonnes of bottles and containers made from PET were collected (out of a total of 3.1 million in existence on the market), with an increase of 6.8% from the previous year. Even the demand for PET increased by 4.8% in 2014: “PET is the most recycled plastic material in Europe”, explained the executive director of Petcore, Patrick Peuch, “but we can do even more to contribute to the European circular economy, especially since the uses of PET have increased. We must involve more companies and consumers”, added Peuch, “It is essential to raise public awareness on the importance of collecting and recycling this material, in line with the principles of the circular economy promoted by the European Commission”.
PET collected and PET transformed
The rates of PET collection vary significantly between the Member States. The report shows a slight decrease in the productivity of the waste collection and recycling sector in 2014, compared to 2013: the volume of PET transformed is lower than what is collected, due to loss during the process and a lack of maintenance. It is a piece of data which goes by unnoticed, considering the importance of recycling PET material in a way which enables operators to recycle the entire waste product and relaunch it onto the market: a route selected with the aim of reusing the plastic and preserving the health of our planet.
by editorial staff
