Clickbait Isn’t Science
December 16, 2025
In recent years, scientific research has increasingly found itself competing with click-driven headlines. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the public conversation around microplastics, where...PET Insider
Why PET Still Stands Out: A Food-Safety Expert Speaks Up
November 25, 2025
As conversations about packaging grow louder and more polarized, one material continues to be analyzed, scrutinized, and reaffirmed by regulators worldwide: PET (polyethylene terephthalate),...
Why Context and Standards Matter in Microparticles Research
November 3, 2025
Sound science depends on context, precision, and transparency, especially when public concern runs high. When headlines outpace the evidence, important questions about safety and sustainability can...
A Circular Advantage: PET Thermoforms, Recycled Content, and the Path to EPR Readiness
October 28, 2025
Packaging’s circular future is rapidly coming into focus, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate, universally recognized by the #1 resin identification code) thermoforms play a pivotal role. PET...
A Pivotal Year for EPR
October 16, 2025
The Resource Recycling article “A Pivotal Year in EPR Policy,” quoting our Executive Director, Laura Stewart, captures a moment of transformation in US recycling and waste policy. What was once...
Redefining Plastics: Laura Stewart on the Future of PET Recycling
September 17, 2025
We’re excited to share the latest episode of the Redefining Plastics podcast, where host Justin Riney sits down with our Executive Director, Laura Stewart, for a deep dive into the world of PET...
We Appreciate the Plastics Reality Check — But PET Deserves Its Own Spotlight
July 28, 2025
At NAPCOR, we believe in facts over fear. That’s why we welcomed The Economist’s recent series (links below), which challenges the dominant narrative around plastics. For once, the focus wasn’t...
The truth behind microplastics claims and scientific standards needed
July 9, 2025
There are no globally standardized methods for the collection, detection, and quantification of microplastics—or, more accurately defined, microparticles—yet recent headlines would suggest...
NAPCOR Shares Insights on Record US PET Plastic Recycling Rates
June 25, 2025
NAPCOR recently announced that the US PET plastic bottle recycling rate climbed to 33% in 2023, its highest point since 1996. NOTE: Certain 2023 figures have been updated since publication of the...
Recycling in Texas Is Broken. A Bottle Bill Can Help Fix It.
April 29, 2025
Texas has long been a leader in energy and innovation. But when it comes to recycling, the Lone Star State is falling behind. Texans bought 23.7 billion beverage containers in 2021, according to a...
Demand for Recycled PET Sparks New Investment Strategies in Collections and Processing
March 6, 2025
NAPCOR’s Q&A with Waste360 Recently, NAPCOR’s Program Director Alasdair Carmichael and Director of Data Services Lauren Laibach sat down with Waste360 for a wide-ranging interview....
Don’t discourage recycling by dismissing the science
February 13, 2025
On February 11, The Denver Post published NAPCOR’s letter to the editor responding to the January 24 column by Karen Mockler titled “Time to end the lie of plastics recycling and get...
Three steps to help end plastic waste
January 21, 2025
Click here to read the article we recently published in POLITICO outlining three steps to help end plastic waste. Here’s a quick snapshot: PET (polyethylene terephthalate)—easily...
Rethinking Plastic Bans: Life Cycle Research Reveals Recycling PET Bottles as the True Environmental Solution
March 11, 2024
Based on the misguided idea that alternatives to plastic are always more sustainable, there is a growing trend towards plastic bans. These types of measures, such as bans on plastic bottles in large venues like airports and stadiums, come with damaging environmental consequences that NAPCOR is dedicated to addressing through increased information and data sharing. Contrary to popular belief, a recent LCA comparing beverage packaging indicates that recyclable PET bottles are a more sustainable choice for beverage packaging than common alternatives.
PET is not to Blame for Recycling Plant Fires
September 27, 2022
NAPCOR defended PET recycling in the U.S., after an ABC News attack claimed that PET bottles are the main culprit of "toxic fires" happening more frequently at recycling facilities.
Alaska Airlines Eliminates Plastic Water Bottles: But is alternative better?
November 9, 2021
Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines eliminated the use of all plastic water bottles onboard its aircrafts, opting instead to offer Boxed Water is Better – water in a box, made from multiple layers of paper, plastic and aluminum. While switching to a beverage container that’s 92% plant-based may seem like an environmentally friendly alternative, a closer look reveals that this latest action to shift materials in an effort to responsibly reduce waste does not actually solve the problem. Understanding why offers a powerful opportunity to help guide other businesses, corporations, industries and individuals on the right path as they evolve their sustainability initiatives.
NAPCOR and Petcore Europe Response to Formula 1 Eliminating Plastic Bottles
April 30, 2021
When recycled properly, PET bottles can be reprocessed for reuse, over and over, into millions of products. We highly encourage Formula 1 to contribute to the circular economy by collecting the PET used in its facilities rather than banning its use altogether.
For the Package Engineer: Why PET Wins Every Time
April 29, 2020
“We fought these fights a generation ago. Apparently, winning did not end the fight.” Dave Cornell is a technical resource for NAPCOR, a plastics Hall of Fame member and all-around chief plastics expert who reflects on PET’s image and why we continue to fight the environmental battle.
PET: Adrift in the Sea of Plastics
January 17, 2019
We can't overlook the heightened awareness of the plastic conversation in our everyday lives. We take a look at what to expect in 2019 related to PET.
Summer Travel and Recycling Tips
July 17, 2018
Fun Fact: If each of the 42 million travelers over Memorial Day weekend recycled just one PET water bottle, that would be enough to power 27,870 cylinders of propane used for outdoor barbecue grills, or the equivalent of annual emissions from 141 automobiles.
Greener Business: Insights from Strive for Sustainability 2018
June 13, 2018
When contained in a closed-loop system, PET can be recycled again and again, which results in substantive environmental and economic benefits. The question, then, is how can sustainable closed-loop PET recycling be reconciled with environmental threats such as marine pollution?
NPE 2018 Sights, Sounds and Trends
May 16, 2018
Overwhelmingly, the plastic industry is responding to brand owners’ requirements for increased recycled content, and it is evident that the plastic that bears the “Number 1” resin identification code - polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – and its industry are ready to support those goals.
NAPCOR's Blog PET Insider
April 21, 2018
Welcome to the first post of NAPCOR’s blog – the PET Insider – giving our readers inside access to all things PET! The PET Insider will cover a range of topics related to the PET molecule, from packaging to equipment to reclamation. We will also discuss trends related to recycled PET content and other activity within the industry.