A new synthesis study, prepared by system change company Systemiq and commissioned and funded by Eastman and Interzero, has looked into how the scale-up of chemical recycling alongside existing mechanical recycling approaches has the potential for positive environmental benefits and transformative success for the wider PET/polyester industry.

If implemented, this combination of plastic recycling approaches could achieve very high recycling rates and lower carbon emissions from the PET packaging and textiles system.

Titled "Circularity of PET/polyester packaging and textiles in Europe – Synthesis of published research", the study has explored the evidence for the positive role of PET/polyester recycling via depolymerization alongside mechanical recycling and reuse in a circular economy for packaging and textiles. It is the first in a series exploring circularity pathways for PET/polyester.

Drawing on insights from over 80 published reports, research, and advice from industry experts, it comes at a time when government policies and voluntary corporate commitments are set to increase demand for recycled PET/polyester across Europe and the United States. 

New study shows that chemical recycling technologies for PET/polyester can increase circularity by complementing mechanical recycling.

The series of studies seek to determine whether this system vision is realistic, achievable, and beneficial in terms of economic and environmental outcomes, and whether it would create an opportunity to reduce plastic waste, reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-based feedstock, increase resource efficiency, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.   

This first study was created with strategic guidance from an independent Steering Group comprising of experts from the public sector, academia, civil society, and industry. It highlights three main research findings: 

• Today’s PET/polyester system in Europe is mostly not circular today, and is predominantly dependent on virgin production using fossil-fuel-based feedstock.

• Chemical recycling technologies for PET/polyester can increase circularity by complementing mechanical recycling and upcycling hard-to-recycle plastic waste into high-quality recycled PET/polyester. 

• The complementary application of mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and reuse in the PET/polyester system has the potential to optimize environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

Professor Kim Ragaert, Full Professor - Chair of Circular Plastics at Maastricht University, said, “Bottle PET has long been king of mechanical recycling, due to its unique combination of advantages. However, PET trays and polyester fiber are more complicated and of different qualities, and the conventional bottle segment is increasingly used in non-food applications like cosmetics."

"We must therefore seriously consider how to complement the mechanical recycling of PET with other technologies to avoid large volumes of precious polymer cascading out of the system via a “last stop” recycling into non-recovered textiles or incineration,” he remarked. 

Sandeep Bangaru, VP of Circular Economy Platforms at Eastman Chemical Company, stated, “This study underscores the importance of innovation and collaboration in the recycling space. We believe mechanical recycling should be used, when possible, but to keep more raw materials in the loop, chemical recycling is a necessary complement.”

The next report in this two-part series will be published in the coming months and provides a new evidence base, exploring the future potential for complementarity of mechanical and chemical recycling of PET/polyester in Europe under different scenarios.

It will quantify material flows and environmental impacts of each scenario, and in doing so will help to answer some of the key gaps in existing research, identified in this paper.

A new synthesis study, prepared by system change company Systemiq and commissioned and funded by Eastman and Interzero, has looked into how the scale-up of chemical recycling alongside existing mechanical recycling approaches has the potential for positive environmental benefits and transformative success for the wider PET/polyester industry.

If implemented, this combination of plastic recycling approaches could achieve very high recycling rates and lower carbon emissions from the PET packaging and textiles system.

Titled "Circularity of PET/polyester packaging and textiles in Europe – Synthesis of published research", the study has explored the evidence for the positive role of PET/polyester recycling via depolymerization alongside mechanical recycling and reuse in a circular economy for packaging and textiles. It is the first in a series exploring circularity pathways for PET/polyester.

Drawing on insights from over 80 published reports, research, and advice from industry experts, it comes at a time when government policies and voluntary corporate commitments are set to increase demand for recycled PET/polyester across Europe and the United States. 

New study shows that chemical recycling technologies for PET/polyester can increase circularity by complementing mechanical recycling.

The series of studies seek to determine whether this system vision is realistic, achievable, and beneficial in terms of economic and environmental outcomes, and whether it would create an opportunity to reduce plastic waste, reduce dependence on fossil-fuel-based feedstock, increase resource efficiency, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.   

This first study was created with strategic guidance from an independent Steering Group comprising of experts from the public sector, academia, civil society, and industry. It highlights three main research findings: 

• Today’s PET/polyester system in Europe is mostly not circular today, and is predominantly dependent on virgin production using fossil-fuel-based feedstock.

• Chemical recycling technologies for PET/polyester can increase circularity by complementing mechanical recycling and upcycling hard-to-recycle plastic waste into high-quality recycled PET/polyester. 

• The complementary application of mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and reuse in the PET/polyester system has the potential to optimize environmental and socioeconomic benefits.

Professor Kim Ragaert, Full Professor - Chair of Circular Plastics at Maastricht University, said, “Bottle PET has long been king of mechanical recycling, due to its unique combination of advantages. However, PET trays and polyester fiber are more complicated and of different qualities, and the conventional bottle segment is increasingly used in non-food applications like cosmetics."

"We must therefore seriously consider how to complement the mechanical recycling of PET with other technologies to avoid large volumes of precious polymer cascading out of the system via a “last stop” recycling into non-recovered textiles or incineration,” he remarked. 

Sandeep Bangaru, VP of Circular Economy Platforms at Eastman Chemical Company, stated, “This study underscores the importance of innovation and collaboration in the recycling space. We believe mechanical recycling should be used, when possible, but to keep more raw materials in the loop, chemical recycling is a necessary complement.”

The next report in this two-part series will be published in the coming months and provides a new evidence base, exploring the future potential for complementarity of mechanical and chemical recycling of PET/polyester in Europe under different scenarios.

It will quantify material flows and environmental impacts of each scenario, and in doing so will help to answer some of the key gaps in existing research, identified in this paper.