New Q&A: What the Latest PET Recycling Data Means for Policy

In a recent Q&A with Anne Marie Mohan of Packaging World, NAPCOR’s Director of Data Services, Lauren Laibach, breaks down the findings from our 2024 PET Recycling Report and what they signal for policymakers working to strengthen US recycling systems. PET (polyethylene terephthalate), universally recognized by the #1 inside the triangle, is a safe, fully recyclable packaging material that supports a circular economy when properly recycled.

The takeaway is clear: PET recycling works, but it needs the right policy framework to remain strong and competitive.

What the data shows:

  • The system is evolving. Changes in packaging, such as lightweighting and increased collection of PET thermoforms, are reshaping the PET recycling stream and the way it must be processed.
  • Domestic recyclers are under pressure. Lower-cost imported recycled PET and volatile market conditions are making it harder for US recyclers to compete and invest.
  • Protecting processing capacity matters. The US recycling system was built to process growing volumes of collected PET, but recent market disruptions have raised concerns about maintaining enough domestic capacity to process the material already being collected.
  • Policy alignment is critical. Without consistent, well-designed policies, the US risks losing ground on recycling, manufacturing, and jobs.

As Lauren explains, the data underscores a central point: recycling outcomes are shaped by systems, not just materials.

PET bottles are fully recyclable and can be used again and again, but that potential depends on strong collection systems, reliable end markets, and resilient domestic processing infrastructure.

What this means for policymakers

Smart, coordinated policy can:

  • Strengthen domestic recycling capacity
  • Improve collection and access
  • Support a more circular economy for PET
  • Help ensure collected material is recycled domestically
  • Support US manufacturing and jobs 

The bottom line: PET is fully recyclable and remains the most recycled plastic in the world, but maintaining that success requires policies grounded in real-world data and market conditions, and focused on protecting the existing recycling system.

Read the full Q&A in Packaging World to explore the findings and implications.

NAPCOR graphic promoting its 2024 PET Recycling Report. The image shows a hand placing a PET plastic bottle into a recycling bin next to large text reading, “PET Plastic Recycling Works But the System Needs Support.” Supporting messages state: “Recyclable by design: PET is made to be remade,” “US recyclers under pressure: Imports + market volatility impacting domestic capacity,” “Changing material stream: Lighter bottles, more thermoforms,” and “Policy shapes outcomes: Strong systems = stronger recycling.” The NAPCOR logo and website, NAPCOR.com/blog, appear at the bottom.

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