Recycling Options for Polyethylene Terephthalate (2023 Program)

This report provides a technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory analysis of rPET recycling in the United States Gulf Coast (USGC), Western Europe, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) boasts one of the highest recycling rates among plastics due to its widespread use, especially as bottles, and suitability for mechanical recycling. Its properties allow for repeated reshaping without significant quality loss, enhancing its value in textiles and packaging applications. However, by 2030, rPET demand is set to triple the expected supply. Despite environmental and regulatory pressures, just 27% of PET bottles are recycled, with most ending up in landfills. This report delves into the nuances of PET recycling pathways from mechanical recycling to chemical technologies like solvent-based purification, glycolysis, methanolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. It offers detailed profiles of industry frontrunners, including technology licensors, owners, operators, and those in advanced robotic sorting, covering the intricacies of each of their operations. The analysis presents the delivered cost of production for each recycling route across the five regions, shedding light on market trends and the economic feasibility of recycling intermediates such as rPET flakes, Bis-Het, and DMT. Additionally, it benchmarks the final rPET pellets against the Q1 2023 virgin PET price for each region.