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#1 Plastic PETE (bottles and jugs only)
Accepted at 1 location
Plastic #1, known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), is commonly used in soft drink and water bottles and can be recycled into fiber, structural molding, and more containers.
Source: cfpub.epa.gov : Recycling of Plastics in the United States: Plastic Material Flows and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycling Processes | Science Inventory | US EPA (3)
#1 Plastic PETE (bottles and jugs only) Summary
Also known as: PET, #1, Number 1 Plastic, PETE
Parent material: Plastic
Accepted Locations

Remove lids.
Empty contents.
Labels and neck-rings OK.
No thermoforms.
No Clamshells.
Last updated on July 3, 2026 by Green Star GM
About #1 Plastic PETE (bottles and jugs only)
What it is
PET is used in beverage bottles such as soda and water containers, and it is recycled at relatively high rates in the U.S. as compared to other plastics. The recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 29.1 percent in 2018. Recycling PET matters because over 69 percent of plastic container and packaging waste ends up landfilled, representing significant lost value.(2, 3, 4)
How it’s recycled
The conventional method of PET bottle recycling is mechanical, in which the recycled bottles are shredded, cleaned, and processed into flakes. PET bottles are recycled through Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) and reclaimers, where the MRF and reclaimer processes handle inbound and outbound materials. Recycled PET is converted into new products such as fibers, films, and bottles.(1, 3, 5, 6)
How to prepare it
Common mistakes
Items with food debris cannot be recycled. Compostable plastics are not intended for recycling and can contaminate and disrupt the recycling stream if mixed with non-compostable plastics. The lids on most PET bottles are not made of PET, but HDPE and can sometimes be considered a contaminant.(7, 10)
Environmental impact
Plastics are littered or illegally dumped to an extent that worldwide attention is focusing on the presence of plastics in the environment, and plastics in the environment may lead to microplastic pollution which may have human health and environmental effects. PET plastic bottles take up to 500 years to degrade and can be a source of plastic pollution and microplastics in drinking water and the environment.(2, 8, 9)
Sources & additional reading
- Materials Recovery Center | Recycle City | U.S. EPA www3.epa.gov
- Plastics: Material-Specific Data | US EPA epa.gov
- Recycling of Plastics in the United States: Plastic Material Flows and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycling Processes | Science Inventory | US EPA cfpub.epa.gov
- Containers and Packaging: Product-Specific Data | US EPA epa.gov
- Plastics as Feedstocks for a Circular Economy: PET Flows and Recycling Processes | Science Inventory | US EPA cfpub.epa.gov
- Recycling of Plastics in the United States: Plastic Material Flows and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Recycling Processes | Science Inventory | US EPA cfpub.epa.gov
- How Do I Recycle Common Recyclables | US EPA epa.gov
- Life Cycle Environmental Impact of PET Water Bottles Introduction nems.nih.gov
- Sustainability Life Cycle Environmental Impacts of PET Plastic Water Bottles nems.nih.gov
- Cleaning up the Waste Stream — Recycling Plastics | MU Extension extension2.missouri.edu
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