Polyethylene terephthalate, often known as PET or PETE, is a transparent, robust, and light-weight plastic that is a member of the polyester family.
Polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE, is the chemical term for polyester.
PET, a transparent, robust, and lightweight plastic, is frequently used to package meals and drinks, particularly convenience-sized soft drinks, juices, and water. PET is primarily used to make the single-serving and 2-liter bottles of carbonated soft drinks and water that are sold in the United States.
Salad dressings, peanut butter, cooking oils, mouthwash, shampoo, liquid hand soap, window cleaner, and even tennis balls are frequently packaged in this manner. Carry-home food containers and prepared food trays that may be warmed in the oven or microwave are made out of special grades of PET.
Ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid are the fundamental constituents of PET, and they are mixed to create a polymer chain. PET is extruded from the resulting spaghetti-like strands, immediately cooled, and then chopped into tiny pellets. The resin pellets are then heated to a molten liquid state, which allows for simple extrusion or molding into objects of almost any shape.
When DuPont researchers were looking for new synthetic fibers in the middle of the 1940s, they created PET for the first time in North America. Later, DuPont gave its PET fiber the “Dacron” name. Today, PET, which is known as “polyester” when used for fiber or fabric applications, makes up more than half of the synthetic fiber used in the world. It is known as PET or PET resin when used for containers and other uses.
Researchers developed PET film in the late 1950s by stretching a thin PET extruded sheet in two directions. PET film is now widely used for packaging, video, and picture films. The technology for blow-stretch molding PET into bottles was created in the early 1970s. In 1973, the PET bottle received a patent.
PET is Globally recognized as safe
The FDA and other health safety organizations across the world have certified PET as safe for contact with foods and beverages.
The FDA and other health safety organizations across the world have certified PET as safe for contact with foods and beverages. Through in-depth research, regulatory approvals, testing, and its widespread adoption for more than 30 years, PET’s safety for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and medical applications has been repeatedly proven. PET doesn’t include phthalates or bisphenol-A (BPA) (plasticizers).
PET is quickly replacing paper as the world’s favorite packaging material for foods and beverages because of its special qualities.
Similar to glass, it is an extremely durable and inert substance that won’t react with food, won’t be attacked by microorganisms, and won’t biologically deteriorate. PET, however, is much lighter, more transportable, and shatterproof than glass.
PET is fully recycled
PET is the most recycled plastic in the world and is 100% recyclable. Every year, the United States recovers more than 1.5 billion pounds of discarded PET bottles and containers for recycling. The triangular “chasing arrows” code’s #1, which is typically molded into the bottom or side of the container, makes it simple to recognize PET. There are no other plastics with the #1 code.
PET can be chemically broken down to its component components to create fresh PET resin, or it can be thoroughly washed and remelted. PET containers are accepted by almost all municipal recycling programs in North America and Europe.
PET can be chemically broken down to its component components to create fresh PET resin, or it can be thoroughly washed and remelted.
New PET bottles and jars, carpet, apparel, industrial strapping, rope, automotive components, fiberfill for winter jackets and sleeping bags, construction materials, and protective packaging are all products that are frequently created from recycled PET.
PET recycling is now only 31% in the United States. Although this number is increasing, it is still far behind Europe, where the rate of PET recycling is 52%.
PET bottles and containers that end up in landfills represent little risk of injury or leaching, despite recycling being the most economical and environmentally friendly way to reuse resources. The polymer won’t biologically deteriorate because it is immune to microorganism attack and inert. PET can be easily flattened and takes up relatively little room in landfills. Only 1% of municipal solid trash in the US is attributable to PET containers, according to the EPA.
PET packaging is sustainable
PET is a packaging material that uses extremely little energy. In contrast to glass, aluminum, and other container materials, it has a very positive sustainability profile even if its base components are generated from crude oil and natural gas.
Recycling increases its sustainability even further because 40% of the energy used by PET is attributed to its “resource energy”—the energy that is essentially locked in its raw materials and that can be recovered and utilized again through recycling.
An important factor in PET’s energy efficiency is its high strength in relation to its light weight, which enables more product to be supplied in less packaging and uses less fuel for transportation. The technology for light-weighting is always improving, thus increasing its energy efficiency. The advantages of PET as a packaging material for the environment have repeatedly been supported by life cycle research.
Since PET was initially created 60 years ago, it has grown to be one of the most popular, adaptable, and reliable materials in use today.
Foto de Angela Roma
