Frank Koelewijn, Petcore's Director General, said that the export of RPET rose from 33,000 tons in 2002, to 136,000 tons last year. "Over recent years, Europe has built an infrastructure which now has considerable expertise for the recycling of PET. Whilst there is nothing against free trade, we are concerned about exports which do not result in similar environmental benefits and which also cause the loss of existing capability in Europe. We think it important to continue to develop and expand on existing technology, which is needed to maintain economically sustainable market outlets."

In relation to this, many national collection agencies understand the issues and will not sell for export unless secondary outlets are properly audited by experts checking on how solid waste disposal, wastewater treatment, air emissions and noise are being controlled.

The outlook for the coming years remains healthy. Mr. Koelewijn: "There is much growth potential in the new member states, and it is very reassuring to see how mature collection countries such as Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Switzerland, continue to collect more, year after year. The fundamentals of such growth are based on commitments of beverage brands, PET stakeholders and above all: committed citizens."

PET recycling processing in Europe differs from those in the United States and Japan. Virtually all European plants use wet grinding, making it very difficult to sort out those polymer films and labels that do not float in H2O. In the United States and in Japan, most PET recycling plants are based on dry grinding processes, making it relatively easy to remove films by air separation.

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