The growth of PET recycling

Brazil recycled 55% of pet packaging discarded by the population in 2019. The volume is equivalent to 311,000 tons of the product – 12% higher than in 2018 – which generated revenues of more than R$ 3.6 billion, corresponding to 36% of the total revenue of the PET sector in Brazil.
The information is from the 11th Census of PET Recycling in Brazil, prepared by the Brazilian Association of the PET Industry (Abipet), with the participation of 160 companies from all over the country. This group is divided between recyclers (22%); applicators, who are companies that acquire and use recycled PET in their products (70%); and integrated, which recycle and also use the material in the manufacture of items that return to the market (8%).
"The growth seen in 2019 is a reflection of the strengthening of the circular economy, composed of a diversified industry that uses recycled PET in its products. The creation of this chain, made over 20 years, results in a consistent demand, which creates value for PET recycling," says Auri Marçon, Ceo of Abipet.
According to the executive, The Brazilian performance is higher than that of developed countries, such as the United States, for example, which recycle 29% of their PET packaging. Even the European Union, which, despite collecting 58.2% of post-consumption PET, does not recycle the material and sends much of it to be processed in other poorer countries. The breadth in the use of recycled PET happens because Brazil is a world leader in different applications for recycled PET, which generates demand for the product, reverted in billing and income for various links in society.
The main consumers/applicators of recycled PET in Brazil are manufacturers of preforms and bottles, with 23% of the total, in a process known as "bottle to bottle", mainly due to the increase in the production of food grade packaging, which in recent years has shown a great technological evolution.
Next comes the textile industry (22%), laminated and thermoformed (bandejinhas) (17%), chemical sector (15%) and arching tapes (10%). Other applications account for the use of the remaining 10% of recycled PET.
Because of this diversity, recycled PET is found in garments – basically polyester used in the composition of fabrics – plastic bottles and packaging used by major manufacturers of soft drinks and beverages, beauty and cleaning products, paints and varnishes, carpets and automotive carpets, among others.
The Census conducted by Abipet also identified that, due to limitations in the collection system, recycling companies work, on average, with idleness greater than 30%. This means that, due to investments already made, the industry is ready to absorb possible growth in recycling in the coming years.
For the Abipet Executive, however, this increase will only come from the construction of large sorting centers to separate recyclable materials, the increase in selective collection and the number of waste picker cooperatives. "Only these initiatives, coupled with the correct disposal made by citizens, will be able to supply the recycling lines.
We need to prevent packaging from continuing to be buried in dumps and landfills, resulting in a waste of raw material that could be very useful to society, generating employment, income and, obviously, preserving the environment", he concludes.