Consistent recycling of PET bottles can save 60,000 tonnes of CO2
"In order to further advance climate protection and the circular economy, the recycling of disposable PET bottles should be strengthened," says ifeu study director Benedikt Kauertz.
According to the study, about 425,000 tonnes of plastic were used for the production of disposable PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles in Germany in 2021. Through the deposit system, 97 per cent of this material could be collected and reprocessed. This recycled material is unmixed and can also be reused as food packaging. It is therefore a sought-after product on the secondary plastic markets - and not only among beverage bottle manufacturers.
This is why it has not yet been possible to completely reuse PET for beverage bottles: Around 55 per cent of the recycled PET is bought by manufacturers of films, textiles and packaging for cleaning agents or cosmetics and used for their products. "When the high-quality PET from the recycling of one-way deposit bottles ends up in such applications, it is mostly lost for recycling in new PET bottles - with negative ecological effects," explains Kauertz.
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Benedikt Kauertz
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+49 (0)6221 4767 57
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