SOLD RECYCLED WASTED
YEAR thousand tons thousand tons Recycling rate thousand tons
1991 609 152 24.9% 457
1992 694 201 29.0% 493
1993 757 224 29.6% 533
1994 857 273 31.9% 584
1995 973 322 33.1% 650
1996 1,138 316 27.8% 822
1997 1,276 325 25.4% 951
1998 1,453 355 24.4% 1,098
1999 1,625 370 22.8% 1,255
2000 1,722 379 22.0% 1,343
2001 1,884 417 22.1% 1,466
2002 2,004 399 19.9% 1,605
2003 2,146 421 19.6% 1,726
2004 2,319 502 21.6% 1,817
2005 2,538 585 23.1% 1,953
2006 2,713 636 23.4% 2,077
2007 2842.0 698 24.6% 2,144.0
2008 2683 726 27.0% 1,958.0
2009 2575.0 722 28.0% 1,853.0
Data from American Chemistry Council, NAPCOR Note the PET recycling rates listed here are inflated, as they include non-PET material (such as polypropylene caps, labels and glue, and other contaminants) that are shipped in the bales of PET to be recycled. See PET Recycling vs. Utilization Rates for a more accurate depiction of the amount of actual PET that gets recycled.

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