Facts About Plastic Bottles
Here are some interesting facts and statistics about plastic bottles:
5.1 billion: Amount, in pounds, of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and jars available in the U.S. for recycling in 2009.
2,456 million: Amount, in pounds, of plastic bottles – including PET and HDPE – recycled in 2009, making it a record high.
46: Number of plastics collection programs that were added to U.S. communities in 2009.
28: Percentage of PET plastic bottles that got recycled in 2009.
44: Percentage increase in 2009 of RPET (Recycled PET) used in food and beverage bottles.
2/3: The amount of energy that is saved when producing new plastic products from recycled materials instead of raw (virgin) materials. It also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Six: The number of hours that the energy conserved from recycling a single plastic bottle can light a 60-watt light bulb.
19: The number of 20 oz. PET bottles it takes to yield enough fiber for an extra large T-shirt or one square foot of carpet.
- National Association for PET Container Resources http://www.napcor.com/PET/funfacts.html.
- "Plastic Facts & Statistics" Post-Consumer Plastic Bottle Recycling Report http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/sec_content.asp?CID=1593&DID=10383.
- "Recycling 101" Natural Resources Defense Council http://www.nrdc.org/cities/recycling/gsteps.asp.
- "Plastic Recycling Facts" American Chemistry Council http://www.americanchemistry.com/plastics/doc.asp?CID=1581&DID=6012.
- "Plastics: The Facts About Production, Use, and Disposal From EPA\'s Report to Congress on Methods to Manage and Control Plastic Waste" Plastics News http://plasticsnews.com/headlines2.html?id=17873.
