European PET Container Recycling association Petcore says that PET was the largest plastic material recycled in Europe last year, with the equivalent of more than 60 million bottles recycled. According to its Chairman Roberto Bertaggia said: “Despite the poor economic situation in the European region, the consumption of PET bottles is still showing clear trends of penetration into new market segments through innovative packaging and the recognised capability of PET to be recycled. From a sustainability perspective, our industry is thrilled to have achieved an overall collection rate in 2012 of more than 52% of all post-consumer PET bottles available in the region.”

He went on to say, “With the exception of two members, all EU Member States managed to achieve PET recycling rates above the Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive target of 22.5% for plastics.”

Casper van den Dungen, PET Chairman at Plastics Recyclers Europe, underlined that “The overall European collection of PET bottles to 1.68 million tonnes reflecting an increase of 5.6% compared to the previous year. This has helped to ease the overcapacity situation of recyclers with an average plant utilisation of 80%.”

Casper added, “In 2012 the fibres market was still the single largest end-market for recycled PET, but strong growth in the sheet and bottle market are putting these three markets at similar levels.”