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What PET is
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the clear, hard plastic used for water bottles, soft-drink bottles and many food jars. It carries the number 1 inside the recycling triangle. It is one of the most widely recycled plastics in India because there is steady demand for what it becomes.
If you are not sure whether an item is PET, see our guide to the seven plastic codes.
The journey after collection
- Collection and baling. Bottles are gathered from homes, shops, events and waste pickers, then pressed into bales so a truck can carry more weight.
- Sorting. Bottles are separated by colour, and anything that is not PET is pulled out: caps, other plastics, cans, glass and rubbish.
- Cap and label removal. Caps are usually PP or HDPE, a different plastic. Labels are often a different material too. Both have to come off.
- Grinding into flakes. The bottles are shredded into small flakes.
- Hot washing. Flakes are washed to remove glue, dirt and drink residue. Floating and sinking separates PET (which sinks) from cap plastic (which floats).
- Drying and reprocessing. Clean flakes become polyester fibre for clothing, bags and stuffing, strapping, sheet, or, at food-grade plants, new bottles.
Each step costs money. What you are paid is what the clean flake is worth, minus all of that work.
Why colour matters
| Bottle colour | How a buyer sees it |
|---|---|
| Clear, colourless | Highest value. Can become almost anything. |
| Light blue / light green tint | Good, slightly lower. Limits some end uses. |
| Green, brown, other strong colours | Lower. Used mainly for darker fibre and products. |
| Opaque or white | Often lowest. Harder to process and sell on. |
Mixed colours are priced at the lower end, or the buyer pays someone to sort them. Sorting by colour yourself is the simplest way to earn more per kilo.
What spoils a load
- Liquid left inside. Water and drink residue add weight that is not plastic, and attract dirt and insects.
- Sand, mud and food waste. Washing removes some, but heavy contamination lowers yield.
- Other plastics mixed in. Oil cans, PVC bottles and shampoo bottles look similar but are different plastics. PVC in particular causes problems at the reprocessor.
- Burnt or sun-damaged bottles. Brittle, yellowed plastic is a lower grade.
How to get a better rate
- Empty and drain every bottle.
- Crush them flat. It saves space and lets you store more before selling.
- Sort clear bottles from coloured bottles.
- Keep caps in a separate bag. Caps have their own value as a different plastic.
- Keep them dry and under cover.
- Accumulate to a sensible load. See how scrap is priced for why small loads get lower rates.
How we buy PET. We check colour and cleanliness in front of you, tell you which grade we are paying, and show you any non-PET items we find so you know what to keep out next time.
Have bottles to sell?
Send photographs of your bottles as stored, whether they are sorted by colour, and a rough weight or bag count. We collect across Thiruvallur.