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Over the past decades, the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has seen significant growth, particularly in the packaging industry. However, its long decomposition time poses serious environmental challenges. The aim of this research was to develop a process for the foaming of large quantities of recycled PET (rPET) using endothermic and exothermic foaming agents. Various formulations with different ratios of endothermic and exothermic foaming agents were prepared, as well as their mixtures. The study found that the endothermic–exothermic hybrid foaming process resulted in a finer cell-size distribution and enhanced mechanical properties, making the foams highly suitable for widespread applications. The results support the potential use of exothermic foaming agents as nucleating agents in a hybrid foaming system. In particular, the ratio of 3% endothermic and 1% exothermic foaming agents proved optimal in terms of achieving a balance between porosity and mechanical strength, thereby enabling broad industrial applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the recent ban on the production and use of long-chain perfluorinated compounds, the development of alternative approaches to prepare liquid-repellent surfaces that avoids the use of such compounds has become an urgent issue. We have succeeded in the development of fish-mimicking hydrophilic transparent hydrogel-based films with long-lasting anti-oil adhesion properties. Such films could be prepared by simply mixing poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), nanoclay particles (NCPs), and a waterborne aminosilane (AOS) using an integral blend (IB) method. When submerged in water, these films displayed underwater superoleophobicity (advancing and receding contact angles (CAs) of diiodomethane were ~171°/~163°) with low CA hysteresis (less than 8°), because the hydrophilic nature of the films promoted the formation of a thin layer of adsorbed water on the topmost film surfaces, similar to fish scales. Furthermore, when our films were coated onto the inside of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles and pre-wetted using 80 °C hot water vapors, these film surfaces could effectively repel various oils and were able to maintain their oil-repellent properties for more than 5 weeks. These water-driven, non-perfluorinated transparent hydrogel-based films are expected to increase recycling of PET bottles for oils that are generally incinerated or landfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle collection rates have not increased in a decade. Recycling rates remain abysmal while industry commitments and policy targets escalate the demand for recycled plastics. We investigate the PET bottle recycling system, where collection is a critical bottleneck and recycled PET supply is not meeting the expected demand. We characterize demand for recycled PET (R‐PET), analyze scenarios of expanding deposit return systems (DRS), and quantify cost barriers to improving PET bottle recycling. We find that a nation‐wide DRS can increase PET bottle recycling rates from 24% to 82%, supplying approximately 2700 kt of recycled PET annually. With stability in demand, we estimate that this PET bottle recycling system can achieve 65% bottle‐to‐bottle circularity, at a net cost of 360 USD/tonne of PET recycled. We also discuss environmental impacts, stakeholder implications, producer responsibility, and complimentary policies toward an efficient and effective recycling system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing industrialization and population deposit huge amounts of waste materials into nature every day. Environmental pollution is the biggest threat to life on earth, and one of the major polluters of nature is the throwaway plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a harmful fossil fuel/petroleum-based material. This review focuses on the recent development of recycling techniques of PET waste and their potential applications including fiber production, nanofibrous membrane, air filtering materials, water filtering materials, reinforced concrete formation, energy harvesting etc. In addition, the two most promising methods for recycling: chemical recycling and mechanical recycling are discussed. The most appropriate technologies and waste disposal procedures are suggested for energy harvesting based on the socio-economic aspects of the problem. The recent progress of this topic has been discussed. The prospect of these recycled bottles has been mentioned at the end of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recycling and proper management of PET bottles is needed to avoid plastic pollution, as well as to achieve a plastic circular economy. In this study, we examined the recycling system of PET bottles and their material flows by life cycle, from production to recycling and disposal under different scenarios with reduced consumption for PET bottles. In Korea, PET bottle recycling has been managed by the extended producer responsibility system since 2003. As of 2021, annual usage of PET bottles per capita in Korea was estimated to be approximately 6.5 kg. The recycling rate of PET bottles after collection was determined to be 79% in 2021. However, recycled PET (or r-PET) from mechanical recycling is mostly used in low-grade PET applications such as short fibers, bands, and sheets. More than 112 thousand tons of r-PET chips would be needed to meet the 30% recycled content requirement in PET bottles in 2030 by regulation. Thus, there is an urgent need for high-quality secondary raw materials (i.e., food-grade) by adopting advanced sorting and recycling technologies for PET bottles with recycled content. PET bottle-to-bottle recycling practices can ensure the production of high-quality recycled materials and move Korea toward a plastic circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel catalysts for recycling PET bottles into monomers have been developed by depositing zinc onto the surface of SBA-15, mitigating ZnO catalyst agglomeration in glycolysis separation processes to enhance reaction yields. Various zinc compounds (Zn(OAc)2, ZnCl2, and ZnSO4) were employed as substrates for catalyst design on the porous, high-surface-area material SBA-15 via impregnation. The presence of distinct Zn species on SBA-15 was confirmed through XRD and EDS analyses. The acidity of the catalyst, a crucial factor in the PET glycolysis process, was assessed using different Zn-containing precursors. NH3-TPD measurement has revealed the highest acidity in ZnCl2, followed by Zn(OAc)2 and ZnSO4, respectively. Glycolysis reactions with a PET:EG ratio of 1:5 and a 1% catalyst at 200°C for 2 hours revealed the catalytic efficacy of zincdeposited compounds in the sequence ZnCl2 > Zn(OAc)2 > ZnSO4. Surprisingly, the ZnCl2 catalyst produced the highest yield of bis-2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) at 75% and displayed exceptional recycling capability over three cycles, contributing significantly to resource recovery objectives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The deposit-refund system enables the bottle-to-bottle high value recycling of PET. • High value recycling reduces GHG emissions and comprehensive environmental impact. • Reducing energy consumption and increasing yield are important cut-in points. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used packaging material and has high value in recycling. However, under China's dominant informal recycling system, most PET bottles are downcycled into fibers. The deposit-refund system (DRS) is considered a feasible mechanism to facilitate the high-value recycling of PET bottles. To comparatively evaluate the environmental performance [reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) and pollutant emissions] under different scenarios using life cycle assessments, including the current system based on informal recycling, an improved system with a larger contribution from the source separation of municipal solid waste, and evolving systems with DRS application, five scenarios were set up. The DRS can reduce GHG emissions and the comprehensive environmental impact by 0.538 kg CO 2 /kg PET bottles and 1.73 × 10−3 PE/kg PET bottles, respectively, compared to informal recycling. It can be concluded that the DRS-based recycling approach and the bottle-to-bottle recycling provide the substantial emission reduction potential of GHGs and pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The release of bisphenol A (BPA) from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in non‐carbonated water was investigated in this work through migration and leaching tests. Several types of PET bottles approved and used by several Romanian non‐carbonated mineral water brands were tested in this work. It was highlighted that both the storage temperature and the storage time of bottled water in PET bottles influence the degree of PBA release. Thus, increasing the temperature and storage time favours the release of BPA from PET. The higher the storage temperature, the higher is the diffusivity of BPA. The degree of BPA release is also closely related to the brand of PET. This could be related to the degree of contamination of the raw material in the manufacturing process of PET bottles or during their recycling. The physico‐chemical characteristics and stability of PET bottles in different environmental conditions can also influence the release of BPA from them. The leaching tests confirmed the potential for BPA contamination of long‐term non‐carbonated water bottled in PET bottles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water bottles are widely used in the Gulf countries. One estimate indicates that the water bottle usage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may reach up to 250 L of water per person annually. Generally, the water bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a recyclable material. Because of the non-availability of a powerful incentive system, these recyclable water bottles are often disposed of in landfills. This paper proposes a feasibility study of building a Deposit–Refund System (DRS) to encourage the closed-loop recycling of 0.5 L PET water bottles in the UAE waste disposal system. Water bottles are collected by a reverse vending machine (RVM) and recycled to produce PET bottles, and the proposed system will reward consumers with 0.04 United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) per deposited water bottle. Additionally, this study calculates the cost of 100% virgin polyethylene terephthalate (vPET) and 60% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles based on the UAE population, data obtained from local water bottle companies, and existing research. Adopting this DRS will cut down on waste, protect the environment, improve the manufacturing process of water bottles, and boost the local economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, post-consumer poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles were gathered, separated from other materials, and re-extruded. In order to evaluate the effect of re-extrusion on the structure of PET, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilised. No significant effect of the re-extrusion process on the structure of the PET sample was noticed. Obtained samples were also characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in order to determine characteristic thermal transitions of PET. DSC results indicated the influence of re-extrusion; extruded PET started to melt at lower temperatures, and the crystallisation of re-extruded PET took place at significantly higher temperatures in comparison to PET. Likewise, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) was used to evaluate the effect of re-extrusion process on the thermal stability of samples. TG analysis revealed that the re-extrusion process had no effect on the thermal stability of the investigated PET samples. Finally, the activation energy of thermal degradation of the investigated samples was calculated using iso-conversional Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Friedman method. Consequently, higher activation energies were noticed for the re-extruded PET sample in comparison to the PET bottle sample, which is a good argument in support of PET bottle recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the developing industry and growing population a significant increase has happened in the volume of waste plastic bottles, consequently, their disposal has become a major concern. One possible recycling method is to use them in soil reinforcement applications. In this study, the benefit of the soil-filled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles for soil reinforcement was examined by a series of laboratory-scale tests. Three sizes of bottles with and without peripheral polypropylene (PP) belt were considered. Also, an extra layer of geogrid over bottle reinforced zone was examined in limited tests. The results showed bearing capacity improvement in all reinforcing arrangements, which increases as the bottle size increases. Further improvement happened when PP belt was provided, superior to the performance of a single layer of geogrid for all three bottle sizes. Eventually, an extra layer of geogrid over the bottle reinforced zone delivered a stiffer response and higher bearing pressure at much lower displacement, favorable in situations where soil settlement is of utmost importance. The combined use of soil-filled bottles and a single layer of geogrid may eliminate the demand for multilayer geosynthetic reinforcement, and also be a possible alternative for waste PET bottle recycling programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to 2018 data from the National Association of PET Container Resources, it is estimated that the recycling rate of the poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottle in the US is 29%. Trailing this figure is the amount of recycled PET bottles that are utilized for future applications, which is estimated at 20%. Over the previous decade, both values have remained relatively unchanged due to the dynamics of various factors. Ironically, one contributing factor is the mechanical recycling process itself, particularly if the material has been previously exposed. Repeated exposure to mechanical recycling can degrade the properties of the PET, limiting future utilization and in severe cases, destining the material for the landfill. Given the importance of the material properties to the proper functioning of the PET in a bottle application, it is imperative to understand how the properties of the material change when subject to repeated mechanical recycling. The aim for this research was to investigate how the properties of a virgin, bottle grade PET change when subject to a repeated step of the mechanical recycling process, melt extrusion. After each successive extrusion, changes in the thermal, rheological and mechanical properties were measured and compared to the virgin values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) continues to be a major challenge in almost every country. In Indonesia alone, approximately 64 million tons of MSW are produced on an annual basis. While polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles account for 12% of all plastic products, the waste is not well managed. Many stakeholders are involved in PET bottle waste recycling but no forum for stakeholders has been established. In this study, the aim is to identify an acceptable system for PET bottle waste, to determine the role and function of each stakeholder, and to propose a framework under the perspective of public-private partnerships. The study's novelty is the elaborate roles and schematic framework for various stakeholders in PET bottle waste. The aim is to identify an acceptable scheme for PET bottle waste and determine each stakeholder's role and function. Data was generated from electronic databases (2017 to December 2021) a systematic literature review methodology followed by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review. The data were analyzed by the Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach. This study found that the laws and regulations for waste management in Indonesia are not suitable for dealing with PET bottle waste, and the government carries out limited tasks and dedicates few resources to managing the waste. A public-private partnership framework was proposed to divide the role, commitment, goal, and activities of each stakeholder to properly manage PET bottle waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Balkan & Near Eastern Journal of Social Sciences (BNEJSS) is the property of Balkan & Near Eastern Journal of Social Sciences (BNEJSS) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to its low cost and easy use, the use of material extrusion (MEX) as an additive manufacturing (AM) technology has increased rapidly in recent years. However, this process mainly involves the processing of new plastics. Combining the MEX process with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which offers a high potential for mechanical and chemical recyclability, opens up a broad spectrum of reutilization possibilities. Turning used PET bottles into printable filament for MEX is not only a recycling option, but also an attractive upcycling scenario that can lead to the production of complex, functional parts. This work analyzes the process of extruding recycled PET bottle flakes into a filament, taking different extrusion screws and extrusion parameters into account. The filament is subsequently processed with MEX into tensile tests. An accompanying thermal, rheological and mechanical characterization of the recycled resin is performed to offer a comparison to the virgin material and a commercially available glycol modified polyethylene terephthalate (PETG) filament. The results show the importance of adequate drying parameters prior to the extrusion and the sensitivity of the material to moisture, leading to degradation. The recycled material is more prone to degradation and presents lower viscosities. Mechanical tests display a higher tensile strength of the recycled and virgin resin in comparison to the PETG. The extrusion of the used PET into a filament and the subsequent printing with the MEX process offers a viable recycling process for the discarded material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PET bottle waste is easy to recycle because it is easy to separate, abundant, and competitively priced. Technologies for the treatment of PET bottle waste have been evaluated to date by using life cycle assessment (LCA), but this does not take into account all of the aspects that policymakers consider necessary when selecting an acceptable technology. Aspects such as society, economics, policies, and technical applicability need to be considered along with the environment and resource consumption to complement the LCA results for PET bottle waste. These aspects were selected as criteria for the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and stakeholders were invited to make a comparison evaluation of the criteria and sub-criteria. Academics were involved to compare the technology options. The results show that society is the highest priority because it is the main actor that ensures the application of the technology, and that job creation is the most important indicator for the selection of the technology in society criteria. After comparing open landfills, sanitary landfills, incineration with energy recovery, pelletizing, glycolysis, and hydrolysis for the utilization of PET bottle waste, this study suggests pelletizing as the acceptable technology for Indonesia because pelletizing is dominant in all the criteria and sub-criteria which support sustainability in waste management. This is the first time that a single plastic fraction that is easy to collect and recycle has been studied with the AHP. The results show that this type of plastic could also be reused in developing countries through mechanical recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic materials are one of the significant components of construction materials omnipresent in all areas of the industry and everyday life. One of these plastics is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Due to its processing properties, with a simultaneous low production cost, PET has been used in many industrial applications, including the production of various types of bottles. Moreover, the high consumption of PET bottles causes the accumulation of large amounts of their waste and necessitates finding an effective way to recycle them. Electrospinning is a well-known non-complicated method for the fabrication of nonwovens from polymers and composites, which can be utilized in many fields due to their outstanding properties. In addition, it might be a promising technique for the recycling of plastic materials. Therefore, in this study, the electrospinning approach for the recycling of two types of PET bottle wastes—bottles made of virgin PET and bottles made of recycled PET (PET bottles) has been utilized, and a comparison of the properties of the obtained materials have been performed. The fibers with diameters of 1.62 ± 0.22, 1.64 ± 0.18, and 1.89 ± 0.19 have been produced from solutions made of virgin PET granulate, PET bottles, and PET bottles made of recycled bottles, respectively. Obtained fibers underwent morphological observation using a scanning electron microscope. Physico-chemical properties using FTIR, gel chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry have been evaluated, and mechanical properties of obtained mats have been investigated. Cytotoxicity tests using the L929 mouse fibroblast cell line revealed no cytotoxicity for all tested materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Japanese Journal of Food Chemistry & Safety is the property of Japanese Society of Food Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study evaluates the effect of incorporating chemical agents with green polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles on extrudate color change and other properties. First, the best type of chemical agent that decolorizes recycled green PET bottles (RGPB) with good processability was determined. RGPB-chemical agent mixtures were evaluated, reducing, photoinitiator, or oxidant, where the best one turned out to be the oxidizing agent, a dicumyl peroxide. Then new mixtures of RGPB-oxidizing agent, dicumyl or benzoyl, were made in a reactive extrusion process employing a drying hopper to avoid hydrolytic degradation. The intrinsic viscosity, crystallinity, and color change of extrudates were determined. It was determined by SEM with EDS that the dye is possibly a chlorinated copper phthalocyanine. The final results show an increase in the intrinsic viscosity of the PET handling dicumyl peroxide, a partial whitening of the extrudates, and an increase in the crystallinity of the PET, which contributed to a decrease the hue and saturation of the green color of RGPB. Where the dicumyl peroxide present in mixtures with RGPB interacts with chlorinated copper phthalocyanine to produce phthalamide or phthalic acid, which are white. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PET steam gasification in a bubbling fluidized bed was studied. • Steam was the main source of H 2 , while CO 2 was the main gaseous product. • The product distribution was more sensitive to temperature than other variables. • More than half of C converted to tars, while biphenyl doubled from 750 to 800 °C. • The results provide references for mixed fuel gasification when PET is involved. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is widely used in textile fiber, film, and bottles. Although PET bottle recycling has made great progress, other PET waste is still not recycled. Gasification could be an option for recycling or recovering energy and chemicals from PET waste. However, single stream PET steam gasification in fluidized bed is seldom investigated. In this paper, individual PET gasification experiments were then conducted in a lab-scale bubbling fluidized bed to investigate how gasifying agents, temperature, residence time and steam/fuel ratio affect the product composition. The results showed that, in steam gasification, steam was the main source of H 2 , but increasing the steam to fuel ratio cannot increase the H 2 yield remarkably. Temperature was an essential parameter. Increasing temperature from 750 to 800 °C improved the yields of H 2 (+87.7%), the dominant gas product CO 2 (+40.3%), and biphenyl (+123%) notably. In contrast to other common thermoplastics, high concentrations of CO 2 and biphenyl are the prominent characteristics of PET steam gasification. In addition, plastic steam gasification optimizations for syngas applications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Packaging Technology & Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Experimental and simulation studies performed for mechanocatalytic PET recycling. • The proposed integrated design enables over 97% recovery of TPA and EG. • Process flowsheet includes pretreatment, ball-mill reactor and separations. • Technoeconomic analysis of the proposed design resulted in a positive NPV. • Comparative economic analysis performed for alternative TPA production routes. Chemical recycling of consumer plastics has garnered great attention recently towards achieving circular economy goals. Particularly in the case of PET waste, mechanochemical depolymerization in ball mill reactors has been identified as a very promising technology due to the high conversion rates achieved under mild conditions. While the absence of solvents in the reaction mixture reduces significant separation costs, mechanochemical depolymerization still presents challenges with respect to the efficient separation and purification of monomers. Thus, meticulous experiments, process modeling, and simulations are essential for demonstrating the separation and purification of monomers. In this study, we present the lab-scale separation process flow for the recovery of terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG) from mechanochemically depolymerized polyethylene terephthalate (PET). We additionally examine the use recycling of ideal PET powder and commercial samples (e.g., PET fibers, bottles, and food containers) as feedstocks. The process parameters are optimized to achieve 97 %+ of monomer recovery with 99 %+ purity. The complete recovery of EG, and recycling of process water enables a 'zero-liquid discharge' process design. Subsequently, we conduct a techno-economic analysis (TEA) to evaluate the economic potential of the proposed sequence, which resulted in a positive net present value (NPV) for the different scenarios and a minimum selling price (MSP) of $0.99/kg. Finally, we compare the economic potential of mechanochemical recycling of PET to fossil-based production and other recycling methodologies based on economic metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, polyethylene terephthalate‐based waste drinking bottles have been used to develop colorful nanofibers via electrospinning. The recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r‐PET) nanofibers were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and X‐ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques and were explored for advanced colorful applications. To prepare colorful r‐PET nanofibers, two different disperse dyes, C.I Disperse Blue 56 (DB‐56) and C.I Disperse Red 167:1 (DR 167:1), were used by dope dyeing technique. The dope dyeing of r‐PET nanofibers was optimized by determining the effects of different polymer concentrations (9%–15%) and dye concentrations (1%–7%). The proposed r‐PET nanofibers offer many advantages such as good color fastness, good mechanical strength, save processing energy, and time compared to other conventional nanofibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The use of uni‐materials can reduce the total waste generation by a high recycling rate. This study assesses the public's willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for the uni‐material beverage container (UBC) in Korea using a specific case of bottled mineral water in polyethylene terephthalate (PET). For this purpose, a contingent valuation (CV) survey of 1000 consumers was conducted to derive the additional WTP for the mineral water in UBC instead of that in non‐UBC. Given that the average price of the mineral water (500 mL) in non‐UBC was KRW 1000 (USD 0.88), the mean additional WTP a premium for that in UBC was estimated to be KRW 107 (USD 0.09). This value amounts to 10.7% of price of the mineral water in non‐UBC and can be interpreted as the public value of the UBC. The consumers in Korea are ready to pay a significant premium for UBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling is considered as one of the key approaches to achieving the circular economy (CE) of plastic waste. Bottle-to-Bottle and Bottle-to-Fiber recycling were assessed using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Circularity Indicator (MCI). Three allocation methods (i.e., substitution, recycled content, and economic allocation) were used to deal with the recycling system. Producing bottle-grade PET resin and polyester fiber from PET bottle waste can reduce environmental impacts for most midpoint impact categories (e.g., 60% greenhouse gas emissions reduction and 85% fossil resource scarcity reduction). At the endpoint level, the damages to resources, ecosystem quality, and human health of the recycled PET bottles derived from Bottle-to-Bottle recycling were less than virgin PET bottles when using the substitution and recycled content methods. When using the economic allocation method, the final LCA findings highly depended on the recycled content used to produce the PET bottles. On the other hand, regardless of the allocation method used, recycled polyester fiber derived from Bottle-to-Fiber recycling caused less environmental damages than virgin polyester fiber. The MCI scores of Bottle-to-Bottle recycling in the baseline scenarios range between 0.20 and 0.31, whereas the MCI scores of the expected scenario in the future show a higher level of material circularity (0.55–0.60) as a result of 100% collection rate for recycling of PET bottles and the use of recycled PET as a feedstock. Therefore, higher collection rates and recycled content support Bottle-to-Bottle recycling. On the other hand, the MCI score of Bottle-to-Fiber recycling in the baseline scenario is 0.52. This high score resulted from the use of 100% recycled PET as a feedstock of polyester fiber. Recycling polyester fiber at the end-of-life could further increase the MCI to almost 0.7. However, to keep the materials at their highest quality and value, Bottle-to-Bottle recycling should be the preferred option. • Both recycling pathways showed more than 60% lower impacts compared to virgin ones. • LCA results were highly influenced by the recycled content in the products. • Method of allocating recycling burdens had a significant effect on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve structural problems such as cracks caused by plastic or hydraulic retraction and drying, the modification of concrete properties has been studied through the addition of polymer fibers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of fibers from PET bottles on the process of manufacturing ecological concrete, seeking to optimize the mechanical properties of compression and tension. Standardized molding of specimens was performed according to the norms established by the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards ( Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas – ABNT) for conventional concrete. The results obtained showed that the percent volume of fiber added to the concrete has a direct influence on both the compressive and tensile strength of ecological concrete and that the fiber length has a direct influence on the tensile strength of ecological concrete. The mathematical models generated in this work can be used to predict efficiency values as a function of the operating parameters: PET fiber length and percent volume of PET fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass use and recycling are among the few options to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the growing plastics sector. The bio-based plastic polyethylene furanoate (PEF) is a promising alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), in particular for small bottle applications. For the first time, we assessed the life cycle global warming potential (GWP) for 250 mL PET and PEF bottles over multiple mechanical (MR) and chemical (CR) recycling trips in the Netherlands. We found that bio-based PEF would offer 50–74% lower life cycle GHG emission after one recycling trip compared to PET, depending on the waste management case. Our results also show that deposit-based recycling systems significantly reduce the cumulative cradle-to-grave net GHG emissions for both bottle types, especially when multiple recycling trips are applied. We propose complementary material utility (MU) indicators to reveal synergies and trade-offs between circularity and GWP: While deposit-based CR shows the best performance in terms of MU, it falls behind deposit-based MR when it comes to net GHG emissions due to the energy intensity of CR. Hence, combining mechanical and chemical recycling could contribute to achieving the goals of the circular economy and climate change mitigation alike. [Display omitted] • A circular bioeconomy could reduce the growing environmental impact of plastics. • Bio-based PEF offers 50–74% lower life-cycle GHG emission than PET in 250 mL bottles. • Deposit-based recycling systems lower GHG emissions and increase material utility. • Multiple recycling trips improve the performance of deposit-based recycling systems. • We show trade-offs between mechanical and chemical recycling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemicals can migrate from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) drink bottles to their content and recycling processes may concentrate or introduce new chemicals to the PET value chain. Therefore, even though recycling PET bottles is key in reducing plastic pollution, it may raise concerns about safety and quality. This study provides a systematic evidence map of the food contact chemicals (FCCs) that migrate from PET drink bottles aiming to identify challenges in closing the plastic packaging loop. The migration potential of 193 FCCs has been investigated across the PET drink bottles lifecycle, of which 150 have been detected to migrate from PET bottles into food simulants/food samples. The study reveals that much research has focused on the migration of antimony (Sb), acetaldehyde and some well-known endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). It indicates and discusses the key influential factors on FCCs migration, such as physical characteristics and geographical origin of PET bottles, storage conditions, and reprocessing efficiency. Although, safety and quality implications arising from the recycling of PET bottles remain underexplored, the higher migration of Sb and Bishphenol A has been reported in recycled (rPET) compared to virgin PET. This is attributed to multiple contamination sources and the variability in the collection, sorting, and decontamination efficiency. Better collaboration among stakeholders across the entire PET bottles lifecycle is needed to ensure sustainable resource management and food contact safety of rPET. [Display omitted] • Food contact chemicals (FCCs) migrating from PET bottles are examined. • 193 FCCs have been investigated, of which 150 have been detected at least once. • Research has focused on the migration of Sb, acetaldehyde and some well-known EDCs. • Safety implications arising from reprocessing of PET bottles remain underexplored. • Safety of rPET depends on transparency and cooperation across the value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Common points of PET bottle recycling system in developing countries was studied. • A system dynamics model was built to dynamically predict PET bottle flow of China. • Comprehensive performance model of PET recycling system was constructed. • Three policies scenario were developed to regulate the flow of PET bottles of China. • Policy recommendations for regulating PET bottle recycling were proposed. Owing to the convenience and price advantages, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles have been widely used in daily life. This leads to a substantial number of waste PET bottles. Because of the lack of corresponding management policies in developing countries, PET bottles have entered the informal collection and recycling sectors in large quantities, causing serious environmental pollution. In China, how to regulate the formal collection and achieve optimal performance of a PET bottle recycling system with policy implementation methods are still being explored. This study constructs a dynamic recycling system of waste PET bottles for the production-consumption, consumption-collection, and collection-recycling subsystems that regulate the formal recycling of PET bottles through policies. The deposit-refund system, mandatory policy and tax refund system were used as the standard recycling policy in a simulation, and comprehensive performance changes were compared before and after the policy simulation. The results indicate that the comprehensive performance (basic scenario) of the PET bottle recycling system is an average of 5.42 billion CNY. With the policy mix scenario, it reached to 6.51 billion CNY, and the formal collection rate increased to 55.8%. Compared with the basic scenario, the comprehensive performance of the policy mix scheme increased by 20%, which is beneficial to the operations of the formal collection and recycling sectors and increases the production vitality of the formal PET recycling industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]