The loop bottle to bottle Sustainable plastics

For the PET and HDPE bottles used in cosmetic, food and chemical applications, recycled alternatives are available and new product lines are being developed and produced for brand owners and retailers on a monthly basis – all contributing to the circular economy

Although plastics sometimes have a bad name when concerns about sustainability are raised, it is important to remember that they also provide society with huge advantages which has led to a better quality of life and environment.

Plastics are lightweight compared to glass and save tons of emissions in the distribution and logistics of products that we use in our daily lives. Plastics are also strong and, as containers, offer a very high level of protection to their contents, preventing spillage, damage and loss.

Plastics are easily recyclable and, right across Europe, the plastics industry is now working hard to close the loop from bottle to bottle as quickly as possible.

The challenge is to create a circular environment where waste is viewed as a valuable raw material and is prevented from escaping the recycling loop.
Creating sustainable plastic

Out of the 3,147,000 tonnes of PET bottles and containers which entered the European market in 2016, some 1,880,900 tonnes was collected (a remarkable 59.8%) and, of this, 1,773,200 tonnes was mechanically recycled.