Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used for drinking-water bottles and for food and drink packaging, because it is clear, light, strong and impact-resistant, and forms well into packaging. It is also one of the plastics with a well-established recycling system, and it can be processed back into raw material for a range of new products.
What PET is
According to Indorama Ventures, PET belongs to the polyester family of plastics and is used primarily as a raw material in the manufacture of bottles, sheets, films, fibres, filaments and other speciality products. A 2024 review by Joseph et al. describes PET as a common plastic used to make water bottles, food packaging and textiles.
How PET is made
PTT Global Chemical (GC) states that monoethylene glycol (MEG) is a key raw material for the PET used in food and drink packaging, such as polyester film and PET bottles. GC adds that this packaging can be fully recycled and is certified as safe for use with food and drink.
Indorama Ventures describes the production process in more detail. Put simply, raw materials such as MEG are chemically reacted to form polymer chains, which are then processed into PET resin for drinking-water bottles and other packaging.
Why PET suits drinking-water bottles
PET is well suited to drinking-water bottles for four main reasons. The first three match the properties Joseph et al. attribute to PET: it is transparent, lightweight and strong.
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Clarity and appearance PET is transparent, so the water inside can be seen clearly. That suits drinking water and other beverages, where a clean and trustworthy appearance matters.
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Light weight and ease of transport PET is significantly lighter than glass. That makes bottles easier to transport and easier to handle.
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Strength and impact resistance PET is less fragile than glass, so it suits packaging that has to withstand transport, storage and everyday handling.
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Suitability for food and drink contact The PET used for drinking-water bottles is food-grade, a grade suitable for food and drink packaging. In food-contact applications, both virgin PET and rPET, or recycled PET, must comply with the relevant quality, safety and regulatory standards.
After use
What happens to a PET bottle after use is the subject of two companion articles. The first follows a used bottle through the recycling process, step by step, until it becomes raw material again. The second explains rPET, the recycled resin that process produces. P.A.S. Intergroup forms its bottles from preforms in its own plant, and offers rPET as an option for customers who want to reduce their use of new material.
Sources
- Indorama Ventures. (n.d.). PET.
- Joseph, T. M., et al. (2024). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling: A review. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering, 9, 100673.
- PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited. (n.d.). Monoethylene Glycol (MEG).