Plastic Bottles

Plastic bottle recycling increased 45 million pounds in 2011 (up 1.7%) to reach a record high of over 2.6 billion pounds for the year.

The 22nd annual National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report marks the twentieth consecutive year that Americans have increased the pounds of plastic bottles that have been returned for recycling. The pounds of bottles collected for recycling has grown each year since the survey began in 1990. The recycling rate for plastic bottles reached 28.9 percent in 2011.

Plastic Bottle Recycling Resourses:

• All Plastic Bottles reviews ways to increase collection of plastic bottles in recycling programs.

• The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) provides resources and information that support recovery of PET packaging (including bottles)

• This 2011 report quantifies the amount and rate of plastic bottle recycling

• This 2009 report includes recycling rates for PET bottles (and other PET containers)