PET: Adrift in the Sea of Plastics
by Laura Stewart, NAPCOR Communications Director
January 17, 2019– As we close the door on 2018, it’s an opportune time to reflect on how events that anchored public opinion on plastic will impact us going forward, and what to expect in 2019.
Content, Content, Content
We can’t overlook the heightened awareness of the plastic conversation in our everyday lives. It’s good, right? We feel it’s important to have these discussions around how we dispose of our waste and its impact on the environment.
What’s driving the conversation? Whether it was the National Geographic Plastics or Planet issue or BBC’s Blue Planet series, or the photos and images of plastic marine litter — many felt a call to action to make change. Some were knee jerk reactions and may have little to no impact on the environment, such as the straw ban. Other reactions, in particular by industry, could have lasting impacts if followed through.
Announcements to incorporate recycled content or make packaging from material that can be recycled has hit an all-time high. Primarily driven from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Closed Loop Fund out of Europe, leading brands have jumped on board, paving the way with their announcements.
Brands such as Pepsi, Nestle, Danone and SC Johnson – among others – have taken bold steps with their commitments, and we can see support of this within the PET industry. Integrations within the industry have been occurring in 2018 and into 2019. Whether investment in chemical recycling or adding reclamation capacity, the landscape of the PET resin industry is shifting and positioning to support the Circular Economy.
As the association that represents the North American PET industry we couldn’t be more supportive, and our members are ready to meet the challenge, but will we see those commitments come through, and what about supply of material?
Supply of Postconsumer PET Packaging
While we saw a slight uptick in the 2017 PET recovery rate over 2016, there are concerns about a flattening or decline in the recovery of PET. In a time where we see a tremendous amount of content commitments, we see a paradoxically large number of municipalities turning their backs on recyclables which would limit supply of postconsumer PET. Recently Michigan’s bottle deposit law was challenged, and ultimately will remain intact for now.
In an attempt to increase usage of postconsumer PET, California took a run in 2018 at a mandatory content bill which was ultimately voted down; however, expect to see this come up again in 2019. In New York, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced an expansion to the State’s Bottle Bill in an attempt to increase supply, making most non-alcoholic beverage containers eligible for the 5-cent redemption.
Interesting Times
Polyethylene Terephthalate, or PET, is a safe and versatile plastic that lends itself to a number of innovative and reliable packaging configurations; but also allows for infinite recyclability into new packaging or end products such as carpet or apparel. The infrastructure and capacity that supports the PET recycling industry is poised to support these initiatives.
We know that recycling and reusing PET into future packaging and end products is a win for the environment. So why don’t we do more of it? That’s a great question, and one that we will continue to look at throughout 2019.