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PET
Facts
- An estimated 8,000 curbside collection
programs and 10,000 drop-off programs collect PET plastic in the United
States.
- Average number of PET beverage bottles per
pound:
16 oz. -- 15 bottles per pound
20 oz. -- 15 bottles per
pound
1 liter -- 12 bottles per pound
2 liter -- 9 bottles per
pound
3 liter -- 5 bottles per pound
- Average number of PET beverage bottles per
landfill cubic yard:
16 oz. -- 4,800 bottles per cubic yard
20 oz.
-- 4,050 bottles per cubic yard
1 liter -- 3,240 bottles per cubic
yard
2 liter -- 2,430 bottles per cubic yard
3 liter -- 1,350
bottles per cubic yard
- Since 1978, manufacturers have reduced the
weight of a two-liter bottle by about 29%, from 68 grams to 48 grams.
- Recycling a ton of PET containers saves 7.4
cubic yards of landfill space.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
issued more than 25 letters of non-objection that allow the use of
recycled PET from certain processes in food and beverage
containers.
- Each U.S. consumer used approximately 12
lbs. of PET bottles during 1998.
- During 1998, 20 reclamation plants produced
588 mmlbs. of clean PET flake which was used in the manufacture of new
PET bottles, fiber, film, sheet, strapping and compounds.
- The first PET bottle was recycled in 1977.
- The average household generates 17 pounds of
PET bottles annually, which is equal to the amount of aluminum generated
per household.
- When the bottles are crushed and tied into
48-inch bales, one bale can hold about 9,600 bottles and weighs
approximately 1,200 pounds.
- Five PET bottles yield enough fiber for an
extra large T-shirt.
- It takes five two-liter PET bottles to make
one square foot of carpet.
- Half of all polyester carpet manufactured in
the U.S. is made from recycled plastic bottles.
- It takes 25 two-liter PET bottles to make a
sweater.
- Five two-liter PET bottles yield enough
fiberfill for a ski jacket.
- It takes 35 two-liter PET bottles to make
enough fiberfill for a sleeping bag.
- The PET bottle was patented in 1973 by
chemist Nathaniel Wyeth (brother of distinguished American painter
Andrew Wyeth).
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