Don't throw it away! The magical recycling journey of PET bottles.

Do you know that the PET bottles we casually discard are embarking on a wonderful recycling journey, quietly transforming the world.

Firstly, the current situation of global PET bottle recycling and reuse is both surprising and full of challenges. In 2024, the global PET bottle recycling market had reached a scale of 5.8 billion US dollars, and it is expected to soar to 8.6 billion US dollars by 2033.

In Europe and the United States, advanced recycling systems have significantly increased the recycling rate of PET bottles. In the United States, the recycling rate reached 33% in 2023. The European Union has even established the food-grade rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) standard, enabling beverage bottles to achieve a magnificent transformation from "bottle to bottle".

Secondly, in China, our recycling system is also quite mature, with an annual recycling volume of over one million tons. At present, recycled PET is mainly used in fields such as chemical fibers and engineering plastics, and it is just one step away from being applied in the food grade field. However, with technological breakthroughs, China has already obtained the international food grade rPET certification, and the future looks promising.

Thirdly, the recycling and reuse of PET bottles is of great significance. On the one hand, it can reduce the environmental pollution caused by a large amount of plastic waste, lower carbon emissions, and protect our global homeland. On the other hand, after being recycled, PET bottles can be transformed into brand-new packaging, fashionable clothing, and even automotive components.

However, the path ahead is not smooth sailing. In some regions, the recycling system is not well-established, and there is serious pollution caused by the mixing of waste, which affects the quality of recycled materials. At the same time, chemical recycling comes with high costs, and policies also need to be further improved.

But don't lose heart! In the future, with the promotion of policies in various countries, new technologies such as AI sorting and enzymatic hydrolysis will play a significant role and improve the recycling efficiency. Maybe one day, the mineral water bottle you are drinking from is reborn from another old PET bottle. Let's start developing the good habit of sorting and recycling PET bottles from now on, contributing to this magical recycling journey, and witnessing the magnificent transformation of more PET bottles together!