The Recycling Coalition, a consortium of manufacturers and users of plastic material and packaging, recently reported on a 28 percent recycling rate of PET bottles representing 24 million pounds of material annually. In addition five million pounds was recycled from non-bottle packaging including, presumably, PET egg cartons. 

Members of the Coalition include Coca-Cola, Kraft. Heinz and Danone, the National Association for PET Container Resources, Niagara Bottling, Procter & Gamble and the Walmart Foundation. The Coalition encourages initiatives to recycle PET with a new emphasis on non-bottle products including fruit containers, tubs and trays most of which are fabricated using clear PET, that is in demand.

Major food and beverage companies now require rPET to contribute to sustainability goals and in response to environmental concerns expressed by consumers. To preserve PET packaging with handling and marketing benefits it will be necessary to increase the convenience and efficiency of collection. Supermarkets should place receptacles for used PET packaging connected to a collection chain to recycling plants to supplement municipal programs.