SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): North America's post-consumer PET recycling sector experienced mixed results in 2025, according to the latest report from the National Association of PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). The collection and recycling rates dropped despite increased use of recycled plastic in new bottles by manufacturers.
The U.S. PET bottle recycling rate slipped to 29% in 2025, compared with 30.2% a year earlier. Across North America, the rate declined more sharply, falling from 39.2% to 36%.
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However, recycled PET (rPET) content in U.S. bottles climbed to a record 22.9%, against 20.7% in 2024. Imports supplied 39.1% of the recycled PET used in the U.S. and Canada, highlighting growing dependence on overseas material.
NAPCOR identified bottle lightweighting as a significant factor influencing recycling performance. New designs introduced by major beverage companies have reduced plastic consumption but created difficulties for material recovery facilities. Extremely lightweight bottles can behave like paper during sorting, it noted.
The quantity of thermoformed PET packaging processed by recyclers increased 7.4% year over year to a record 226 million pounds.
The rising import volumes alongside the jump in North American reclaimer closures highlights the need to strengthen domestic recycling capacity and secure reliable supplies of locally recovered PET, NAPCOR report said.