PET Plastic Bottles - Facts Not Myths

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PET plastic bottles are a popular choice for packaging soft drinks due to the numerous benefits they provide both to manufacturers and consumers.

70% of soft drinks (carbonated drinks, still and dilutable drinks, fruit juices and bottled water), are now packaged in PET plastic bottles – the rest comes mainly in glass bottles, metal cans and cartons.

However, despite the benefits of using PET plastic, many misconceptions exist about plastic bottles. This factsheet is intended to correct some of these

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Benefits of PET plastic bottles

• Lightweight: Cost-effective to produce and require less energy to transport
• Safe: Do not shatter and cause a hazard if broken or damaged
• Convenient: Because they are safe and lightweight, they are also convenient for on-the-go consumption
• Re-sealable: Suitable for multi-serve packs
• Recyclable: Can be recycled so that the PET can be used over and over again
• Sustainable: Increasing numbers of PET plastic bottles are made from recycled PET
• Distinctive: Can be moulded into different shapes, enabling brands to use them to build identity and promote drinks
• Flexible: Manufacturers can switch from one bottle shape or size to another, meaning a high level of efficiency

Environmental facts

Recycling: All PET plastic bottles can be recycled. Recoup’s ‘UK Household Plastics Collection Survey 2014’ confirmed that nearly 60% of PET plastic bottles in the household waste stream are now being collected for recycling - in 2001 this figure was just 3%. Major soft drinks manufacturers have also signed up to the Courtauld Commitment, a voluntary agreement with WRAP which spans over three phases. The third phase, launched in May 2013, is more focused on finding opportunities to reduce the carbon impact of packaging, whereas the first two phases focussed on focused on the reduction of packaging and packaging weight. 

Through innovation, the industry is constantly improving its environmental record further. 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. The industry is also working with organisations such as RECOUP on further innovation in the design of PET plastic bottles.

We all need to ensure that recycling rates continue to grow and the soft drinks industry urges people to recycle their plastic bottles and not discard them as litter. The growth in litter needs to be tackled and the industry fully supports public campaigns against littering and sponsors a number of on-the-go recycling initiatives to help people dispose of their empty bottles responsibly. See here to learn more about plastic packaging recycling.

Use of oil:
A tiny proportion of the world’s oil is used to make PET plastic bottles.

• 4% of world oil is used to make all plastic
• In the UK, 37% of plastic is used to make packaging
• Of this packaging, just 1.2% of plastic packaging is used to make PET plastic drinks bottles

Use of water: The industry, in line with its environmental responsibilities, is constantly looking at ways to reduce further the amount of water it uses in its manufacturing processes.

PET plastic packaging facts

Antimony: Antimony is used in minute amounts in the manufacture of PET plastic. It is approved around the world for this purpose. There is an EU maximum permitted level for antimony in bottled water. All reported levels of antimony found in bottled water are considerably below the safe level permitted.

Bisphenol A (BPA): BPA is used in the manufacture of some plastics such as food and drink can linings, but it is not used in PET plastic food and drink containers (nor those made from HDPE, LDPE or polypropylene).

Bisphenol A has been approved as safe for use in all food and drink containers by the European Food Safety Authority and the UK Food Standards Agency, and dietary exposure to BPA is well below the recognised tolerable daily intake (TDI).

Phthalates: Phthalates are substances used in the manufacture of PVC plastics to make them flexible – they are not used in the manufacture of PET plastic bottles.

All packaging used by the soft drinks industry is strictly regulated and must comply with European law, and EU legislation sets maximum limits for migration from food contact plastics into food. The European Food Safety Authority established safe levels for phthalates following a thorough review of safety data in 2005. The levels UK consumers are exposed to do not exceed the safety levels set.

Plastic bottles in cars: There are no carcinogens in PET plastic - it is a myth that a plastic bottle left in a car will leach carcinogens into the soft drink it contains.

Storage: Soft drinks bottles should be stored in the same way as many food items - they should be kept in a cool, dark place and should not be stored close to household chemical, cleaning product containers or sources of strong odours.

Re-use: If the bottle has been sold as reusable bottle, please do reuse the bottle. If the bottle has been sold as a single use botle, it has been designed for single use only. 

Independent endorsement for plastic bottles emerged from work commissioned by the BPF’s Plastics and Flexible Packaging Group and carried out by YouGov in 2014, aimed at understanding UK consumer trends in packaging. One particular question focussed on PET water bottles, which found that the PET water bottle was ranked as the 'most practical', 'most versatile' and 'most convenient' packaging type by over 20% of respondents. A downloadable summary of the main findings of this survey can be found on the BPF website. 

 

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Are You Interested in Learning More About Plastic Packaging?

The BPF has created short e-learning courses that cover plastic packaging. If you're interested in learning more, you can access our CPD approved e-learning courses on sustainable plastic packaging here.

 

For further information please contact:

British Soft Drinks Association

British Plastics Federation

Plastics Europe

bsda@britishsoftdrinks.com  
www.britishsoftdrinks.com  

020 7405 0300

press@bpf.co.uk
www.bpf.co.uk  

020 7457 5000

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020 7457 5000
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www.plasticseurope.org  

 

Yes, plastic can be recycled. And here are some of the forms that can be easily recycled.

1 – PETE – Polyethylene Terephthalate (Used in water bottles)

2 – HDPE – High-density Polyethylene (Used in oil cans, shampoo bottles)

3 – PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride (Used in intraneous drips in hospitals)

4 – LDPE Low-density Polyethylene (Used in carry bags)

5 – PP – Polypropylene (Used in cars)

6 – PS – Polystyrene (Used in tool manufacturing)

PET or PETE or Polyethylene terephthalate is a strong, stiff synthetic fibre that hails from the family of polymers made with ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Almost every plastic water bottle on the planet Earth is made of PET. But what are the properties that make it such a great packaging material, especially for food? In addition to being lightweight, PET containers biologically don’t react with food. Apart from this, PET is a strong, non-reactive, economical, and shatterproof product, probably here to save the day. PET's safety for food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical and medical applications are recognized by health authorities around the world.

One of the biggest reasons why PET is preferred by many manufacturers is that it is 100% recyclable and highly sustainable. It can be recovered and recycled again and again –– back into containers for personal care products – or into carpet and clothing fibres, automotive parts, construction materials, industrial strapping or other packaging materials.

PET bottles vs Glass bottles

Is glass a better alternative for food and beverage packaging than PET? The short answer is no! But when you put plastic against the glass, the favour tips more towards plastic. It has become more widely used for food and beverage products over the past few decades, it has provided some benefits that glass does not. While glass bottles may be viewed as more sustainable than plastic, mainly because it can be reused, in the long run, it may not be as sustainable as PET. Yes, glass bottles can be easily cleaned and sterilised in boiling water, but the same goes for PET bottles - you can re-use them n-number of times just by washing them with warm water.
What makes glass containers unsafe to store food, in the long run, is the growth of biofilms. Biofilms are a relatively indefinable microbial community. This means they are basically a collective of one or more types of microorganisms that can grow on many different surfaces. Microorganisms that form biofilms include bacteria, fungi and protists. Biofilms producing bacteria is a serious threat for public health globally but due to poor sanitary conditions and low economic resources chances of infections is high in developing countries. Effective control measures should be developed for the treatment and prevention of biofilm to get rid of serious problems. Another area where glass bottles fall short is the durability factor - PET bottles are way more durable whereas glass bottles can easily break. Glass is 20 times heavier and 5 times costlier than a pet bottle.

(This photo was taken by Ms. Na Gao)

Moreover, when we talk about the manufacturing process between glass and PET - the manufacturing of PET bottles is far less intense on the environment than glass. Glass manufacturing industry emits CO2 creating air pollution.

PET bottles vs Stainless Steel bottles

Sure, stainless steel bottles have several pros working for them. They last longer than glass or plastic, mainly because they are corrosion resistant. And when exposed to sun/heat they do not leach chemicals. In fact, stainless steel is 100% recyclable. Stainless steel water bottles are food grade #316 or , which means there are made up of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. So, what’s the catch? Well, manufacturing them is a task and so the retail price of stainless-steel bottles is remarkably higher as compared with PET bottles. And of course, with more resources needed to produce stainless steel bottles, it leaves more carbon in the air. Another huge factor that plays in PET's favour is that stainless steel bottles are heavy to carry around. Made from iron ore that’s a natural resource. Even steel bottles form biofilm layers and since it is not opaque much more difficult to see it.

PET bottles vs Aluminium cans

Aluminium as a container is excellent. It is lighter than stainless steel and high on recyclability -

So, what’s the problem?

The problem with PET is our attitude. Specifically, the way we dispose of it and lack of complete knowledge among the consumers. With small changes in our lifestyle, we can reuse 100% of PET containers. As of now, we undermine the reusability factor of PET bottles and throw them into dustbins which ends up in landfills or, worse, the ocean. Given the longevity of such products, they dawdle in the atmosphere for many centuries and can potentially disrupt ecosystems and infiltrate food chains. However, if we find ways to recycle PET bottles, like
When compared to its competition - PET surely comes off as better than its alternative. It leaves less carbon footprint during its manufacturing, is easy to carry, is extremely affordable and when you are conscious enough to recycle, it can beat its contemporaries with its versatility.

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Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Bottles For Change by Times Internet's Spotlight Team.

No matter how hard you try, you simply cannot underplay the role of plastic in our lives. From food containers to the interiors of our cars to products like laptops and smartphones - plastic can be found everywhere in our lives. But, while plastic has its pros, our distasteful dependency & inexcusable habit of using plastic has made it an environmental threat! As per UN Environment , one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed to be used only once — and then thrown away. While the trend is troublesome, the only way to deal with this is to make changes in our lifestyle and increase efforts to recycle plastic.PET or PETE or Polyethylene terephthalate is a strong, stiff synthetic fibre that hails from the family of polymers made with ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Almost every plastic water bottle on the planet Earth is made of PET. But what are the properties that make it such a great packaging material, especially for food? In addition to being lightweight, PET containers biologically don’t react with food. Apart from this, PET is a strong, non-reactive, economical, and shatterproof product, probably here to save the day. PET's safety for food, beverage, personal care, pharmaceutical and medical applications are recognized by health authorities around the world.One of the biggest reasons why PET is preferred by many manufacturers is that it is 100% recyclable and highly sustainable. It can be recovered and recycled again and again –– back into containers for personal care products – or into carpet and clothing fibres, automotive parts, construction materials, industrial strapping or other packaging materials.Is glass a better alternative for food and beverage packaging than PET? The short answer is no! But when you put plastic against the glass, the favour tips more towards plastic. It has become more widely used for food and beverage products over the past few decades, it has provided some benefits that glass does not. While glass bottles may be viewed as more sustainable than plastic, mainly because it can be reused, in the long run, it may not be as sustainable as PET. Yes, glass bottles can be easily cleaned and sterilised in boiling water, but the same goes for PET bottles - you can re-use them n-number of times just by washing them with warm water.What makes glass containers unsafe to store food, in the long run, is the growth of biofilms. Biofilms are a relatively indefinable microbial community. This means they are basically a collective of one or more types of microorganisms that can grow on many different surfaces. Microorganisms that form biofilms include bacteria, fungi and protists. Biofilms producing bacteria is a serious threat for public health globally but due to poor sanitary conditions and low economic resources chances of infections is high in developing countries. Effective control measures should be developed for the treatment and prevention of biofilm to get rid of serious problems. Another area where glass bottles fall short is the durability factor - PET bottles are way more durable whereas glass bottles can easily break. Glass is 20 times heavier and 5 times costlier than a pet bottle.Moreover, when we talk about the manufacturing process between glass and PET - the manufacturing of PET bottles is far less intense on the environment than glass. Glass manufacturing industry emits CO2 creating air pollution.Sure, stainless steel bottles have several pros working for them. They last longer than glass or plastic, mainly because they are corrosion resistant. And when exposed to sun/heat they do not leach chemicals. In fact, stainless steel is 100% recyclable. Stainless steel water bottles are food grade #316 or , which means there are made up of 18% chromium and 8% nickel. So, what’s the catch? Well, manufacturing them is a task and so the retail price of stainless-steel bottles is remarkably higher as compared with PET bottles. And of course, with more resources needed to produce stainless steel bottles, it leaves more carbon in the air. Another huge factor that plays in PET's favour is that stainless steel bottles are heavy to carry around. Made from iron ore that’s a natural resource. Even steel bottles form biofilm layers and since it is not opaque much more difficult to see it.Aluminium as a container is excellent. It is lighter than stainless steel and high on recyclability - 75% of all the aluminium till date, is still in use. Well, it all depends on the carbon footprint - manufacturing aluminium is no easy task as it is extracted from a rock called bauxite, the mining of which can devastate ecosystems. When it’s made, aluminium generates air and water pollution of severe proportions and causes health issues for the surrounding communities. But you simply cannot compare the carbon footprints of aluminium and PET, as it is very complex. Aluminium cans account for about double the greenhouse gases of plastic bottles, said Martin Barrow, director of footprinting at UK-based non-profit consultancy the Carbon Trust to Reuters citing figures for Europe.The problem with PET is our attitude. Specifically, the way we dispose of it and lack of complete knowledge among the consumers. With small changes in our lifestyle, we can reuse 100% of PET containers. As of now, we undermine the reusability factor of PET bottles and throw them into dustbins which ends up in landfills or, worse, the ocean. Given the longevity of such products, they dawdle in the atmosphere for many centuries and can potentially disrupt ecosystems and infiltrate food chains. However, if we find ways to recycle PET bottles, like this , then such problems will evaporate instantly.When compared to its competition - PET surely comes off as better than its alternative. It leaves less carbon footprint during its manufacturing, is easy to carry, is extremely affordable and when you are conscious enough to recycle, it can beat its contemporaries with its versatility.

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