Why is PET plastic packaging widely used?

Being globally recognised as a safe, PET is most recyclable packaging material for food and non-food products. PET packaging is selected for a wide variety of applications because it is safe, strong, shatterproof and chemically 100% recyclable into the same PET products (fibre and bottles).

PET plastic packaging has been useful in the production and consumption chain as

• Manufacturers use PET to package products because of its strength, thermo-stability, and transparency. It is also light which reduces both the costs and carbon emissions relating to transportation.
• Retailers use PET because it promotes high product visibility: its lightweight facilitates shelf stacking, and its shatterproof quality ensures safety, product integrity and a reduction in breakages.
• Consumers choose PET because it is portable, lightweight, re-sealable for efficient on-the-go hydration, 100% safe and 100% recyclable.

From an environmental view, two points are the most important:

• PET is the most recycled packaging polymer on the shelves;
• The weight of PET packaging has reduced by more than 30% over the past 10 years.

Why do organisations and corporates promote plastic packages that are recyclable rather than biodegradable?

The answer is simple for the following reasons:

1. From both an environmental and economic perspective, the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle enables the process to capture the raw material and energy contained in a plastic bottle for multiple uses, instead of losing it as it degrades. As once it degrades, the consumption level will grow to reproduce the same product.
2. It is cheaper than biodegradable product and thus enable industrials to maintain a production price and subsequently the end consumers do not bear excessive pricing.