News

NAPCOR Life Cycle Analysis Indicates Plastic Bottle Ban at San Francisco Airport Causes Greater Environmental Damage Than Recycling

March 7, 2024

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) warns of the negative environmental consequences of banning plastic bottles in airports, stadiums, and other large venues, based on the results of its Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) conducted in 2023. Banning the sale of plastic bottles in such venues is purported to be in the interest of the environment, yet research shows that recyclable PET bottles are better for our planet than common alternative beverage packaging.

NAPCOR’s 2022 PET RECYCLING REPORT DEMONSTRATES BOTTLE-TO-BOTTLE CIRCULARITY CONTINUES ON THE RISE

December 13, 2023

Consumer recycling rates hold steady while end user market shifts continue. Middleton, Wisconsin (December 13, 2023) – The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) has released...

PET Plastic Bottles Have A Significantly Lower Environmental Impact Compared to Glass Bottles and Aluminum Cans

March 6, 2023

This cradle-to-grave LCA looked at commonly used PET plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers for CSD and still water. It found that glass tends to have the highest environmental impacts, followed by aluminum and then PET bottles. PET plastic bottles are a more sustainable beverage container option and have a lower impact on several key environmental metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions, energy demand, water consumption, smog, acid rain and eutrophication potential.

NAPCOR’S 2021 PET RECYCLING REPORT SHOWS LARGEST AMOUNT OF POSTCONSUMER PET EVER COLLECTED IN U.S.

December 14, 2022

NAPCOR has released its 2021 PET Recycling Report. Several significant achievements were documented: the largest amount of postconsumer PET bottles ever collected in the U.S. (exceeding1.9 billion pounds for the first time), and PET thermoform collection in the U.S./Canada reached its highest-ever total of 142 million pounds for the year 2021.

NAPCOR APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

August 3, 2022

NAPCOR and its Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Stewart to the position of Executive Director effective August 1, 2022 (replacing outgoing Executive Director Darrel Collier, who retired in April 2022) Since joining NAPCOR in 2017, Laura served as Communications Director, and most recently, Director of Operations.

New Recycling Coalition to Improve Recovery of Plastic Packaging and Enhance the Circularity of PET Packaging

June 8, 2022

NAPCOR will serve on the Advisory Committee of The Recycling Partnership's PET Recycling Coalition, an initiative informed by industry knowledge and expertise to improve PET circularity. Its work will focus on addressing key opportunities to increase recycling of this valuable material, including bottles, thermoforms, and opaque and pigmented containers.

NAPCOR’S 2020 PET RECYCLING REPORT REVEALS AN 800 MILLION POUND INCREASE OF RECYCLED PET FOR END MARKET USE OVER THE PAST DECADE

November 2, 2021

NAPCOR announced today the release of its 2020 PET Recycling Report. Overall, the 26th annual report revealed a 10 percent increase in end use consumption of RPET in the U.S. and Canada. This increase signals strong support of postconsumer content in brand packaging, and demonstrates the resiliency of PET’s value in recycling-minded communities -- even during a pandemic.

Leading Beverage Container Manufacturers Agree—Well-Designed Deposits Are Key to Getting More Containers Back for Recycling

September 14, 2021

The glass, metal and plastic PET container industries agree that deposit systems lead to higher recycling rates, as well as better quality, higher value material enabling circularity. We support efficient, effective deposit systems and are eager to work with lawmakers on how to design and implement such well-designed systems with the principles below.

NAPCOR HELPS LAUNCH U.S. PLASTICS PACT ROADMAP TO 2025, DRIVING A NATIONAL STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE CIRCULAR ECONOMY GOALS

June 15, 2021

The U.S. Pact’s Roadmap is designed to kick-start action and help U.S. industry leaders and packaging producers develop a national strategy, advance shared goals, and measure the strength of progress through annual reporting.

NAPCOR RELEASES 2019 PET RECYCLING REPORT: RPET CONTENT IN BOTTLES AND CONTAINERS GROW

December 1, 2020

The report cites a 2019 United States recycling rate of 27.9 percent for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, a slight decrease from the 2018 rate of 28.9 percent.

UPDATED POLYETHYLENE TEREPTHALATE RESIN LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS AND CALCULATOR

November 5, 2020

Greenhouse gas emissions of 60% may be achieved when using recycled PET in place of virgin PET as shown in NAPCOR's latest PET resin life cycle analysis.

NAPCOR Response to Consumer Reports "How to Eat Less Plastic"

June 5, 2020

A June 2020 publication of Consumer Reports articles “How to Eat Less Plastic” and “What’s Gone Wrong with Plastic Recycling” contained false and misleading information about Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastics.

Trade Associations Align in Support of Beverage Container Deposit Programs

April 20, 2020

Leadership from the aluminum, glass and plastic (PET) industries have joined together over the past month to emphasize the critical role that the recycled bottles and cans redeemed and returned through the country’s 10 beverage container deposit programs play in the supply chains of essential packaging.

What to Do With Beverage Containers in Deposit States During Coronavirus

April 17, 2020

During these challenging times, the need to continue recycling your PET bottles and containers is more important than ever. Most curbside recycling programs are accepting PET bottles and containers,...

Request for Michigan’s Beverage Container Deposit Program to Resume Operations

April 2, 2020

United in our common interest in protecting post-consumer collection during these challenging times, NAPCOR has joined a unique partnership with the Can Manufacturers Institute and the Glass Packaging Institute in issuing a letter to the state of Michigan, urging state leaders to resume deposit container redemption.

Letter to Editor: Eliminating collection of plastics irresponsible

March 30, 2020

The vast majority of recycled plastic is PET (polyethylene terephthalate, marked by a #1), which is 100% and infinitely recyclable; more than 1.8 billion pounds of it is collected in the U.S. every year and transformed into everything from beverage containers to athletic apparel.

2018 PET Recycling Report Released

December 16, 2019

The report cites a 2018 United States recycling rate of 28.9 percent for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, essentially unchanged from the 2017 rate of 29.2 percent. Despite the flat recycle rate, purchases of US bottles by US reclaimers increased 16 percent to 1,673 million pounds compared to 1,442 million pounds in 2017 which more than offset declines by exports.

Indorama Ventures Acquires Green Fiber International

December 4, 2019

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) announced 3 December 2019 that it has, through its indirect subsidiary Indorama Ventures Holdings LP, signed a definitive Share Purchase Agreement on 3rd December 2019 with LQ Inc. to acquire 100% equity stake of Green Fiber International Inc. (“GFI”), a company incorporated in USA and having plastics recycling facility in Fontana, California, USA.

NAPCOR ANNOUNCES MOVE TO CHARLOTTE

May 1, 2019

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) announces the move of its headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina effective May 1, 2019.

NAPCOR Welcomes New Executive Director

February 1, 2019

NAPCOR welcomes Darrel Collier as its next Executive Director, replacing Rick Moore who will retire at the end of April 2019.

PET RECYCLING RATE INCREASES IN CHALLENGING 2017 MARKET

November 15, 2018

The report cites a 2017 United States recycling rate of 29.2 percent for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles, reflecting a slight increase over the 2016 rate of 28.4%.

Evertis and APG Polytech Join NAPCOR

August 29, 2018

“NAPCOR is pleased to welcome Evertis and APG Polytech as our newest members,” said Executive Director Rick Moore. “We welcome the industry perspectives these companies will bring to the NAPCOR table, and look forward to long and productive relationships with both.”

NAPCOR Members Form JV to Acquire M&G Corpus Christi PTA-PET Plant

March 21, 2018

Corpus Christi Polymers LLC (“CC Polymers”) - a newly formed joint venture between Alpek, Indorama Ventures Holdings LP, and Far Eastern Investment Ltd - has entered into an asset purchase agreement with M&G USA Corp. for the PTA-PET plant in Corpus Christi, Texas.

NAPCOR Welcomes New Staff Member

February 19, 2018

NAPCOR is pleased to announce its recent hire of Alasdair Carmichael as their Program Director. Alasdair comes to NAPCOR with over 40 years’ experience in the synthetic fibers industry including his work as Director Fibers, Americas with PCI Wood Mackenzie and the PCI Group (Petrochemical Consultants International) since 2000.

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