can be improved. A 2010 life cycle study on recycled PET found that producing one tonne of clean recycled PET in place of virgin PET saved an additional 14,067 kWh of energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by another 1,360 kgs4

Europe and North America already enjoy a well-established recycling PET infrastructure. A 2012 report on Post Consumer PET Container Recycling Activity showed a 31% increase in the overall PET bottle recycling rate in the US in 5860. In Europe, over 60 million bottles were recycled in 2012 amounting to 52% of all post-consumer PET bottles available in the region6. This increase in PET recycling has been supported by EU legislation requiring the collection and reuse of packaging materials. In Asia the PET collection rate is almost 80%7, with India alone estimated to have 3,500 formal recycling units and another 4,000 informal units.

Both big brands and consumers are keen to reap the environmental benefits of switching to recycled PET. Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co have increased the recycled content in their PET bottles, as has Danone Water. Recycled PET is also used in some Nestle water brands, such as Livissima in Italy, Resource in the US and Mont clair in Canada. Other beverage producers and brand owners are now following suit.

In addition, large companies that include Coca-Cola, Pepsi Co, Nestle and Danone have made attempts to sidestep the petrochemical route and create PET from sugar cane molasses - a renewable resource created as a by-product in sugar production. The resulting bio-PET is fully compatible with standard PET recycling processes and can be used with both virgin and recycled PET.

As the focus on recycling and sustainability gathers pace around the world, more recycling points are being set up and PET is changing from being a source of litter and landfill to being a valuable resource that needs to be reprocessed.

These five points explain much of why PET has become, or is fast becoming, the dominant packaging material for different beverage categories around the world. It is safe, flexible and fully recyclable, and it can also help beverage producers reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable industry while growing sales at the same time.