PET is short for polyethylene terephthalate (the chemical name for polyester). PET plastic is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic with many household and industrial uses. PET plastic is one of the most widely used types of plastic and it’s also the most widely recycled plastic.
PET Plastics | An Introduction
Before we discuss the ins and outs of PET plastic, you might be wondering what PET plastic stands for. What is PET plastic? PET is short for its chemical name: polyethylene terephthalate.
PET is often abbreviated as PETE, PETG, APET, PETP or PET-P. Similarly to how tissue paper is commonly referred to as “Kleenex”, PET plastic may be referred to as it’s brand names Dacron (US), Terylene (UK), or Lavsan (Russia).
PET has many properties that make it desirable for a wide range of applications. In appearance, PET is clear and transparent. It is somewhat flexible, yet still strong and will not tear easily. It is lightweight and can be easily shaped when molten.
PET Uses
Your house almost certainly contains many products made from PET. It’s frequently used for water bottles, shampoo containers, soda bottles, and plastic cups. Many fabric products also use PET in the form of polyester.
Additional applications for PET include:
Microwavable containers
Salad dressing containers
Peanut butter & condiment containers
Vitamin containers
Lamination on solar panels
Automotive wiper arms
Automotive engine covers
Automotive headlamp retainers
Is PET Plastic Recyclable?
Yes! PET is 100% recyclable. In fact, PET plastic is the most commonly recycled plastic in the world. PET plastic is widely accepted for recycling programs, because it can be easily washed and melted down for uses in lower grade products, or hydrolyzed down to monomers, which are purified and re-polymerized to make new food-grade PET. The video below shows another popular method to recycle PET, by turning it polyester clothing.
As of 2017, about 29.2% of PET plastic is recycled in the United States. If you are looking to recycle your own PET plastic products, you can identify PET material by looking for the number 1 within the continuous arrows.
While recycling is the preferred method of PET disposal, it is safe to landfill. It won’t biodegrade on its own so it will not contaminate the surrounding areas, though Japanese scientists have recently discovered a species of bacteria capable of quickly degrading PET plastic.
