“Landfill is not an option we entertain.” Juan Hernandez, President of Valemi Inc., Coalition Grantee
About the PET Recycling Coalition
The PET Recycling Coalition is taking targeted action to remove barriers to PET recycling and deliver the benefits of a better recycling system.
Formed in June 2022, the Coalition builds upon The Recycling Partnership’s years of expertise and industry knowledge to improve the circularity of all PET packaging. The Coalition’s first three years focused on strengthening the backbone of PET recycling by deploying solutions that captured more PET, expanded the capabilities of PET reclaimers, and improved PET sorting to deliver specialized streams of PET to recyclers who optimized to handle them.
Beginning in 2025, the Coalition’s activities are focused on PET thermoforms, a specific family of non-bottle PET packaging like clamshells, cups, trays, and lids that can provide a critical unlock to address plastics circularity. With support from packaging producers, communities, and recyclers, the PET Recycling Coalition is taking immediate action to improve recycling end markets, facilitate acceptance in community collection programs, and deliver impact for this important category where it’s needed most.
Together with surrounding initiatives that improve PET bottle recycling, end user demand for recycled plastics, and recycling education and outreach, The Partnership is deploying a holistic set of solutions for PET recycling. Join us in helping to ensure a sustainable future for this valuable material.
“The PET Recycling Coalition’s work towards getting more PET thermoforms collected and recycled is fully aligned with our mission, and we are proud to play a part in making thermoform recycling more accessible for Americans.”
Dan Kuehn, President and CEO at Plastic Ingenuity
About PET
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also identified by the #1 on containers, is most commonly known for being used in beverage bottles. PET thermoforms, created by molding a heated plastic sheet into its desired form, are used for a wide range of packaging like berry and salad containers, cold cups, cosmetic and toy packaging, and clamshell to-go containers. The packaging is popular because it is lightweight and offers good product protection, especially in food-grade applications.
While PET thermoforms and PET bottles may both be identified by the #1 on containers, they don’t share the same recycling outcomes. Only 14% of the nearly 1.5 billion pounds of PET thermoforms generated annually are recycled in the United States. This low rate is driven by challenges centered around end markets, including:
- PET reclaimers across North America often lacking capabilities and/or capacity to process thermoforms
- Limited demand for domestic thermoform-derived recycled PET
- Thermoforms not always being optimally designed for recyclability
Learn More About Our Progress
Download the PET Recycling Coalition Annual ReportTaking Action to Accelerate PET Thermoform Recycling
Two states with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies have currently designated PET thermoforms as “unrecyclable” — a precedent that demands swift investment in end markets. Only 30% of North American PET reclaimers can effectively process thermoforms, resulting in a loss of material leading to millions of dollars in lost value.
Recognizing the needs of the evolving landscape, the PET Recycling Coalition’s strategy will focus on supporting PET thermoform end markets by:
- Deploying grants to strategic reclaimers to increase thermoform processing capability and capacity
- Building an industry network to drive adoption of optimal design for recyclability and increased demand for domestic, thermoform-derived recycled PET
- Supporting communities in communicating acceptance with education best practices
With support from Packaging producers, communities, and recyclers, the Coalition has, to date:
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Deployed over $6.5 million to increase acceptance, capture, and quality of recycled PET
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Partnered with 29 grantees, ranging from communities to MRFs, secondary sorters and reclaimers
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Achieved new thermoform recycling access for nearly 1.6 million households
- Secured 48 million new pounds per year of recycled PET (42M new bottle capture and 6M new thermoform capture)
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Map: PET grantees as of July 2024
Advancing PET Recycling: Four Stories of Impact
The PET Recycling Coalition is driving meaningful change in PET recycling. These case studies highlight on-the-ground initiatives that are breaking down barriers, improving recycling infrastructure, and creating new opportunities for circularity. From state-of-the-art facilities enhancing PET recovery to community-driven solutions expanding access to recycling, these case studies showcase how collaboration and targeted investments are shaping the future of PET recycling.
A Hybrid Facility Supporting Plastics Recycling in California and Beyond – Valemi, Pico Rivera, California
The Pico Rivera MRF, operated by Valemi Inc., is scaling up its capacity to sort clear, pigmented, and opaque PET by 70%, supported by a PET Recycling Coalition grant. This hybrid facility aggregates materials from multiple sources to create high-quality PET bales while boosting recovery of challenging non-bottle PET.
Ice River’s End-to-End Solution for PET Recycling – Ice River Sustainable Solutions, Ontario, Canada
Ice River Sustainable Solutions exemplifies circularity by processing 55 million pounds of PET annually and expanding to recycle 30 million more pounds. By reusing caps and closures for outdoor furniture, the company minimizes waste while pioneering the use of pigmented and opaque PET.
New Recycling Facility in Alabama Will Be Catalyst for Expansion – Baldwin County, Alabama
Baldwin County’s first MRF will serve over 100,000 households, processing up to 80 million pounds of material annually. Supported by a PET Recycling Coalition grant, it features advanced sorting technology to capture 1.3 million pounds of PET each year, paving the way for expanded recycling access across the region.
Capturing More PET Across the Recycling Stream – Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Set to begin in 2025, Mecklenburg County’s $25.7 million MRF retrofit will add advanced optical sorting technology, enabling non-bottle PET recycling for the first time. Supported by a PET Recycling Coalition grant, the upgrades will capture 5.6 million more pounds of PET annually and improve bale purity. Public education campaigns will inform residents about the expanded recycling capabilities, driving greater participation.
