Recycling of HDPE bottles tops 1 billion pounds in 2012
Rate for recycling of HDPE bottles climbs to nearly 32%
Plastic bottle recycling by consumers increased 161 million pounds in 2012, edging up 6.2%, to reach nearly 2.8 billion pounds for the year, according to figures released jointly today by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR, plasticsrecycling.org) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC, americanchemistry.com). The recycling rate for all plastic bottles rose 1.6% to 30.5% for the year.
The 23rd annual National Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report marks the twenty-third consecutive year that Americans have increased the pounds of plastic bottles returned for recycling. The number of pounds of used bottles collected in the United States has grown each year since the industry survey began in 1990.