Surely on more than one occasion, while drinking a soda, you’ve read the word PET on the packaging, but do you know what it means? These letters are the English abbreviation for polyethylene terephthalate, and it is a flexible, strong plastic material that is also 100% recyclable. It is used in many industries, but mainly for manufacturing packaging and synthetic fabrics.
At Excelent Cork, we specialize in the manufacturing of synthetic stoppers for all types of packaging. We understand the importance of innovating and investing in more environmentally friendly materials, and in this article, we’ll tell you what this plastic is and why it’s the choice of the future.
Introduction to PET: Uses and Applications
PET plastic, thanks to its versatility and strength, has revolutionized various industrial sectors, being widely used in the manufacturing of packaging stoppers. Its application in this field is due to its ability to ensure the airtightness and protection of packaged products, as well as its ease of molding and handling.
In addition to stoppers, it is used in the production of bottles, food containers, textiles, and other consumer products. Its adaptability and properties make it an ideal choice for various applications, with particular relevance in the packaging industry.
Characteristics and Properties of PET
PET plastic stands out for its unique combination of properties that make it ideal for the manufacture of stoppers and other packaging. It is a lightweight, strong, and transparent material, which allows excellent visibility of the packaged content. Additionally, it is highly moldable, making it easy to produce stoppers in various shapes and sizes to fit different containers.
Its excellent moisture and gas barrier ensures the preservation of the freshness and quality of packaged products, while its impact and abrasion resistance guarantees protection during transportation and storage. Moreover, it is a 100% recyclable material, making it a sustainable option to reduce the environmental impact of plastic packaging.
The Packaging Manufacturing Process
The process of manufacturing PET packaging involves several stages. It begins with the extrusion of the polymer into sheets or preforms. These preforms are heated and molded into specific molds to shape the desired containers, which may include bottles, jars, or containers.
Once molded, the containers and stoppers are cooled and subjected to additional processes as needed. This may include applying protective coatings to improve durability or printing labels and barcodes for identification and traceability.
After completing the finishing processes, the containers are inspected to ensure their quality and packaged for distribution. The stoppers are also manufactured as part of this process, using injection molding technology to produce stoppers of different sizes and designs according to customer specifications.
The process of manufacturing packaging from this plastic combines advanced technology with the versatility of the material to produce safe, lightweight, and durable packaging that is used in a wide range of industries, including food, beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
The Environmental Impact of PET
Although PET plastic is currently one of the most widely used, its impact on the environment is not positive, as it is estimated to take about 700 years to degrade. This is why companies that manufacture packaging with this material must constantly emphasize the need for its recycling.
But things aren’t so bad, as the data shed a lot of light. This material is one of the most recycled by consumers, and its characteristics make it possible to be recycled several times.
The Future of PET Stoppers
We’ve all noticed lately that PET bottles come with the stopper attached to the container. This is not by choice nor due to a manufacturing error; the truth is that it is due to a regulatory change by the European Union.
In order to reduce the size of stoppers, and thereby the use of plastic material, it will be mandatory, starting July 3, 2024, for all plastic containers to meet a series of design requirements, including having the stopper attached, reducing the size and weight of both, and thus promoting recycling.
The truth is that reducing plastic consumption and actively promoting its proper recycling is one of the pending tasks of our society. Through the redesign of containers and their corresponding stoppers, and the commitment of everyone to reduce consumption, we can prevent plastics from accumulating in our ecosystems.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What does PET mean?
PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate, a type of plastic widely used in the food and textile industries.
2. What are the properties of PET?
PET is a lightweight, strong, transparent, flexible, moldable, and 100% recyclable material. Additionally, it offers an excellent barrier against moisture and gases, making it ideal for preserving food and beverages.
3. What is PET used for?
PET is mainly used to manufacture packaging, such as bottles, jars, and caps. It is also used in the production of textiles, such as fibers for clothing and carpets.
4. Why is it important to recycle PET?
Recycling PET is important because it helps reduce environmental pollution. PET takes hundreds of years to degrade, so recycling it helps reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills and oceans.
5. How is PET recycled?
PET can be recycled into a variety of new products, such as bottles, clothing, and carpets. The PET recycling process involves several steps, including collection, washing, shredding, and melting the plastic into new forms.
6. What is being done to reduce the environmental impact of PET?
Several efforts are being made to reduce the environmental impact of PET, including:
- Development of new biodegradable materials: New biodegradable materials are being developed that could replace PET in some packaging.
- Redesign of packaging: PET packaging is being redesigned to be lighter and use less material.
- Improvement of recycling rates: Campaigns are being carried out to increase PET recycling rates among consumers.
At Excelent Cork, we are committed to manufacturing sustainable PET stoppers. We use recycled PET in the manufacturing of our stoppers and work with our customers to reduce plastic use and increase recycling.
