Recycled PET Bottles to Govern Future Market

Although the prospective utilities of PET (acronym for polyethylene terephthalate) were identified in 1941, its application as the base for a moulded bottle was patented only in 1973. It is attributed to a polymer scientist Nathaniel Wyeth. Soon this material gained popularity as an ideal medium for moulding bottles of varied sizes and shapes. These trends were enabled by the designers and manufacturers of PET preform dies in the industry.

Meanwhile, mass apprehensions were raised over the safety aspects as well as its impact on the environment. However, chemists and others from the industry successfully recycled PET products, a bottle in particular in 1977. The numerous advantages of this material like lighter weight, superior barrier properties against air and liquid, options for colours, better shelf life etc. vis-à-vis traditional glass or ceramic  bottles, tin cans, aluminium containers were given mass publicity to dispel public fears.

Simultaneously, extensive research and development by polymer scientists and engineers in the industry resulted in innovative designs and end applications. To cite an instance, since 1978, they have reduced the weight of a two-litre bottle by over 30%, from 68 grams to 48 grams. Likewise, progressive concepts were tried out for the necks, caps and closures of bottles and phials including the flexible ones.

Since the closure lids are very vital, utmost care is involved in the design and manufacture of these moulds. A Delhi NCR-based leading cap closure mould manufacturer ensures that the products are optimized for high-speed, high cavitations, high-volume applications. As such the balanced hot runners designed by this company allow for consistent cavity-to-cavity filling. Hot runner undergoes melt channel sizing analysis where balance, shear rate and pressure drop are maximised to the optimum degree.

Keeping this aspect in view, the moulds are manufactured from high grade steel DINI.2738 and DIN 1.2316 imported from Japan. With CAD and studies of simulated action, the cap moulds are designed with advanced taper positioning technology for concentricity of the product. Thus weight optimisation for existing closures and new developments are maintained on a not of consistency.

As for the controversy raised by environmentalists, with each passing day, it seems to have ebbed since it has been successfully proved that PET can be recycled. One ton of PET containers is capable of saving 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space. 19 PET bottles of 20-ounce capacity yield enough fibre for an extra large T-shirt, or enough to make one square foot of carpet. With 63 such bottles, a sweater can be woven while 14 of them can give a ski jacket or a windcheater.

In October 2014, Ken Research, the New Delhi-based market intelligence and analyst group, came up with a report on the PET based packaging industry in India. Titled ‘India Recycling PET Market Outlook to 2019 - Growth Led by Inclining PET Bottle Availability and Production Capacity’, this report highlighted that recycled polyester staple fibre will guide the future growth of PET market.

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the of the various aspects such as market size, segmentation and future projections of the recycled polyester staple fibre, polyester sheets, films and polyester straps – the key segments of this market.