— By Marilyn Gerlach — 

Brazil is experiencing a positive trend in absolute recycling volume, which rose 14% to 410,000 t of post-consumer PET packaging in 2024 from 359,000 t recorded in 2021, but the recycling rate itself is trending in the opposite direction, according to data published by the Brazilian PET industry association Abipet (São Paulo; www.abipet.org.br).

The 13th edition of the Abipet-sponsored PET recycling census in Brazil revealed a 53% recycling rate of packaging discarded by consumers last year. A comparison with the 12th census in 2021 showed a 56.4% rate and 55% for the 2019 census, which registered 311,000 t recycled volume.

While Abipet has not commented on the two opposing trends, it indicated that the recycling sector is struggling with insufficient supply and attributed the difficulties to absence of public policy to promote selective collection.

“The sector is facing a challenge. The lack of consistent public policy on selective collection is preventing packaging discarded by consumers from being properly disposed of,” according to executive president Auri Marçon.

“Recycling companies are operating at an average idle capacity rate of 23%, with peaks of up to 40%,” he said. “As a result, the PET recycling industry is reaching its limits, as it doesn’t have the raw materials it needs for its production processes, while tonnes of packaging are destined for ordinary landfills or are incorrectly disposed of in the environment.”

Related: Global push drives growth in food-grade recycled plastic packaging – Smithers

Abipet is pushing to boost recycling rates through improvement of three channels: widening the network of selective collection points in municipalities, constructing additional large sorting hubs to separate recyclable materials, and increasing the number of waste picker cooperatives.

According to the association, more than half (54%) of raw materials last year came from scrap dealers, a decline from 69% in 2021 and 68% in 2019. Some 33% came from waste picker organisations compared with 17% in 2021 and 20% in 2019. Both in 2021 and 2024, around 10% came from “others”, which were not identified. The selective collection facilities in municipalities – which contributed 4% in 2021 and 6% in 2019 – were not included as a source in the 2024 infographics.

The 2024 data showed that the main destination for recycled plastics – 37% of the total – was for manufacturing preforms and bottles – used mainly by the water, soft drinks, energy drinks, and other non-alcoholic beverages industry. Its share expanded from 29% in 2021 and 24% in 2019.

“This growth is due to demand from large users of PET packaging, who trust in the qualities and characteristics of the material and have maintained their commitment to sustainability, even at a time when recycled resin is being sold at a higher price than virgin product,” Marçon said.

Related: European PET group publishes design guidelines for PET bottles, non-food items

The textiles sector is the second biggest consumer of rPET, accounting for 24% of all recycled material, followed by the chemical industry (13%), sheets & plates (13%), strapping tapes used in packaging (10%), and other applications which make up 3% of the total.

The survey covered 142 companies representing end-users (49%), recyclers (33%), and vertically integrated companies (18%) – those that both recycle and use the recycled PET to manufacture items sold to the market.

The PET recycling industry in 2024 generated sales of around BRL 5.66 bn (EUR 897 mn), of which 40% were earned by waste pickers, cooperatives, and recyclables dealers.

As part of efforts to boost recycling rates, Abipet updated its Guidelines for the Recyclability of PET Packaging last year and published the PET Life Cycle Assessment study at the end of 2024.

Abipet said it has recently signed with three other groups an agreement to encourage the development of PET packaging with a high quality of recyclability. The three are the Brazilian association of the soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages industries Abir (www.abir.org.br), the Brazilian association of vegetable oil industries Abiove (www.abiove.org.br), and the country’s national association of waste pickers Ancat (www.ancat.org.br).