You may have heard about PET plastic recycling, but what does that really mean? 

With so much talk around sustainability and reducing waste, understanding the role of PET plastic recycling can make a big difference in how we manage our environmental impact. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about PET plastic, from what it is to how the recycling process works, and why it matters for both businesses and individuals. 

But before diving into the details, why not take advantage of a free waste audit? It’s a simple way to assess your current waste management practices and identify areas for improvement.

What is PET?

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a widely used plastic known for being inexpensive, lightweight, and highly durable. You’re most likely familiar with it from everyday items like single-use soft drink bottles, food containers, and even packaging materials. Due to its versatility and prevalence, PET has become a major focus in recycling efforts.

The industry surrounding PET bottles is constantly improving its environmental record, PET plastic bottles have been redesigned so that they are 30% lighter than 15 years ago, and increasing amounts of recycled plastic are used to manufacture the bottles themselves. 

There’s a real need for recycling rates to continue to grow and the soft drinks industry urges people to recycle their plastic bottles and not discard them as litter. Bottle deposit schemes have been both popular and effective across Europe for many years now. The UK is now looking to adopt similar schemes. 

The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of a deposit return scheme for Scotland, meaning that Scotland was the first part of the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme for drink containers. The scheme went live in Scotland on 1 July 2022 and made it easier for everyone to recycle their used bottles and cans, including all drinks sold in PET plastic, metal and glass.

 

Pros and Cons of PET Plastic

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic is one of the most commonly used materials in packaging and consumer goods, thanks to its unique characteristics. However, like any material, it comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of PET plastic:

Pros of PET Plastic:

  • Lightweight and Durable: PET is exceptionally lightweight, making it easy and cost-effective to transport, yet durable enough to withstand impact without breaking easily. This combination makes it ideal for packaging beverages, foods, and other consumer products.
  • Recyclable: One of the biggest advantages of PET is its recyclability. PET can be recycled multiple times without losing its integrity, which helps reduce the overall demand for new plastic production. Recycled PET can be used to make new bottles, textiles, and other products, supporting a circular economy.
  • Cost-Effective: PET is inexpensive to produce compared to other materials like glass or metal. Its affordability makes it a preferred choice for manufacturers and businesses looking to keep production costs low.
  • Safety: PET is considered safe for food and beverage packaging. It doesn’t react with food or drinks and doesn’t release harmful chemicals when used or heated under normal conditions.


Cons of PET Plastic:

  • Environmental Impact: While PET is recyclable, not all PET products are recycled. A significant amount of PET plastic still ends up in landfills or as litter, contributing to environmental pollution. Proper recycling infrastructure and consumer behaviour are necessary to reduce this impact.
  • Single-Use Culture: PET plastic is often associated with single-use products like water bottles and food containers. Although recyclable, many of these items are discarded after just one use, exacerbating the global plastic waste problem.
  • Limited Degradation: PET plastic can take hundreds of years to fully degrade in the environment. Even when recycled, not all PET is repurposed, meaning some still contribute to long-term waste issues.
  • Quality Degradation Over Time: While PET can be recycled, the quality of recycled PET can degrade after several cycles. This means that while it can be reused multiple times, there’s a limit to how often PET can be reprocessed before it’s no longer viable.

 

Balancing these pros and cons can help businesses and consumers make informed decisions about the use and recycling of PET plastic, considering both its benefits and its environmental impact.

 

How do I recycle PET bottles for a rebate?

To qualify for a rebate on your PET plastic bottles, they must first be properly baled. We provide a range of machines specifically designed to bale PET bottles efficiently, helping you streamline the recycling process and maximise your rebate potential.

X Series Balers

X-series vertical balers are a heavy-duty line of machines that are suitable for numerous types of challenging materials, including PET bottles. They are designed to handle products with high memory retention. It’s worth noting that the bottle caps need to be removed before entering vertical balers.

As you can see from the photos below, the press plate on the X range baler is designed to prevent twisting under pressure – the X cylinders are designed to compact right to the bottom of the chamber which starts the compaction process a lot earlier. This removes the memory of the product earlier in the compaction cycle, thus providing an improved bale.  Furthermore, X-series balers have the lowest noise level in the market – an appreciable bonus for your employees and their working environment.

The standard B range press plate is a flat press plate, products with high memory tend to twist the press plate hence why X range balers are recommended for PET bottles. The compaction process does not start until the chamber is full, which causes unstable bales for PET bottles. 

X Range Baler Press PlateStandard B Range Baler Press Plate

Loading Options

Our specially designed flap door is built to efficiently handle PET bottles. It functions as a chute, allowing bottles to be easily and directly deposited, either individually or in full sacks. This streamlined process makes it simple to manage large quantities of PET bottles, improving both speed and convenience in waste disposal.

Flap door for PET bottles

Semi Automatic Balers

Horizontal balers are ideally suited for businesses that produce large volumes of PET bottles. Due to the increased quantity businesses often require a large feed hopper and a need to load by an automated system. We would recommend a semi automatic baler for companies handling 2-4 tons of PET bottles per day. 

We offer three models within our range of semi automatic balers, all of which produce mill size bales. In terms of differences between the models it’s largely down to throughputs. Our technical advisors are on hand to answer any queries you may have. There is the option to bale PET bottles with their tops remaining on if you were to use a PET perforator. 

PET Perforator

A PET perforator is commonly used when a site needs to bale PET bottles without removing the caps. The machine features two rotating spiked shafts that move in opposite directions, efficiently drawing in the PET bottles. As the bottles pass through, the perforator punctures them, allowing trapped air to escape and ensuring they can be compacted more easily. The perforated material is then seamlessly transferred onto the conveyor of a horizontal baler, where it moves directly into the baling process, streamlining the workflow and improving the efficiency of PET recycling operations.

Fully Automatic Balers

Fully automatic balers are essential for compacting large volumes of recyclable materials into stable, stackable bales. These bales not only help you optimise storage space but also improve transportation efficiency, leading to significant cost savings. With the ability to be fed continuously, either manually or through conveyors, fully automatic balers offer a seamless, high-capacity solution for handling large quantities of waste.

For PET bottles, we recommend using a side-tying fully automatic baler. This design prevents bottles from getting trapped in the needle slots of the press plate, a common issue that can cause wires to snap during the baling process, leading to downtime and maintenance. 

If you plan to bale bottles with their lids still attached, using a PET perforator is necessary. This additional equipment punctures the bottles, allowing air to escape and ensuring a more compact, uniform bale. This also prevents bottles from expanding once baled, further enhancing storage and transportation efficiency.

How do I know which machine is right for PET plastic recycling?

All balers can handle PET plastic, but selecting the right machine depends on your daily throughput. For businesses processing up to one ton of PET per day, our X-range balers offer an efficient and cost-effective solution. If you’re dealing with 2 to 4 tons daily, a semi-automatic baler is a better fit, providing higher capacity while maintaining ease of operation. For even larger volumes, we recommend fully automatic baler, designed to manage higher throughputs with minimal manual intervention.

PET rebate prices can be tracked online via Let’s Recycle, and our expert advisors are here to guide you through the process. Feel free to contact us when you’re ready to explore the best baling solution for your needs!

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