Plastic Facts

• Plastic 2-liter bottles, made with PET, let you carry home roughly 10 gallons of your favorite beverage in just 2 pounds of packaging; it would take about 36 pounds of glass to do the same job.

• The PET bottle was patented in 1973 by chemist Nathaniel Wyeth (brother of distinguished American painter Andrew Wyeth).

• Since 1978, manufacturers have reduced the weight of a two-liter bottle by about 29%, from 68 grams to 48 grams.

• Recycling a ton of PET containers saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space.

• According to the EPA, recycling a pound of PET saves approximately 12,000 BTU's.

• The average household generated 38 pounds of PET plastic bottles in the year 2002.

• Custom bottles (which are bottles used for products other than carbonated soft drinks) represent 55% of all PET bottles available for recycling.

• Fourteen 20 oz. PET bottles yield enough fiber for an extra large T-shirt.

• It takes 14 20 oz. PET bottles to make one square foot of carpet.

• It takes 63 20 oz. PET bottles to make a sweater.

• Fourteen 20 oz. PET bottles yield enough fiberfill for a ski jacket.

• It takes 85 20 oz. PET bottles to make enough fiberfill for a sleeping bag.

• HDPE plastic is often made into plastic lumber that can be used to build playgrounds, benches, decks, fencing and many other items. It is also made into many types of recycling bins.

You can purchase clothing made from recycled plastic at:

Blue Lotus Sustainable Goods http://www.bluelotusblankets.com

Direct Access International
http://directaccessintl.com

Patagonia
http://www.patagonia.com

You can purchase items such as plastic lumber made from recycled plastic at:

Bedford Technology
http://www.plasticboards.com

Everlast Plastic Lumber
http://www.everlastlumber.com

Plastic Lumber Company
http://www.plasticlumber.com/v2/index.php

Trex
http://www.trex.com