What is PET?

PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, and is a form of polyester. PET bottles and containers have been safely used to package beverage, food, personal care and household items since the introduction of the first PET bottle in the 1970s; they are easily identified by the #1 code on or near the bottom.

Packaging designers and manufacturers like PET because it’s safe, strong, transparent and versatile, and helps protect product integrity, freshness and taste. Consumers choose it for its clarity, safety, light weight, reseal-ability, shatter-resistance and innovative style. All agree on its recyclability attributes: PET bottles are accepted in virtually all recycling programs in the U.S.; over 60% of U.S. households also have non-bottle PET recycling available to them, and up to 100% of a PET package can be made from recycled PET, which can in turn be recycled again… and again.

Tried and Tested for 35+ Years

Products packaged in PET include beverages, water, peanut butter, salad dressings, pasta sauce, beer, wine, spirits, produce, deli items, candy, baked goods and non-food items such as household cleaners, and health and beauty products.

PET is approved as safe for food and beverage content by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and similar regulating agencies throughout the world. It has been used to package beverages, food and other products for more than 35 years.

Over the years, myths about PET have been picked up and circulated through the internet and social media. To set the record straight: PET never contains or produces Bisphenol A (BPA), dioxins or plasticizers.

For more on these questions and others, visit our FAQ section.

Technically, What is PET?

Polyethylene terephthalate items referenced are derived from terephthalic acid (or dimethyl terephthalate) and mono ethylene glycol, wherein the sum of terephthalic acid (or dimethyl terephthalate) and mono ethylene glycol reacted constitutes at least 90 percent of the mass of monomer reacted to form the polymer, and must exhibit a melting peak temperature between 225°C and 255°C, as identified during the second thermal scan in procedure 10.1 in ASTM D3418, when heating the sample at a rate of 10°C/minute.