National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR)

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National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR)

The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) is the the trade association for the PET plastic packaging industry in North America.

NAPCOR was founded in 1987 as the National Association for Plastic Container Recovery, with a mission to ensure that plastic bottles made it into the growing number of curbside recycling programs. The organization evolved to focus specifically on PET, becoming the National Association for PET Container Resources in 1998. PET's recyclability and ability to incorporate recycled content has been key

to its growth in the marketplace. To that end, NAPCOR has worked to:
- Facilitate a domestic processing infrastructure for postconsumer PET
- Build sustainable recycled PET end markets
- Invest or leverage over $100 million to increase recycling collection
- Provide outreach and education to encourage PET recycling around the country

NAPCOR has a deep historical knowledge base pertaining to PET market applications and recycled PET collection, processing, and end markets. Its legacy of data-driven, hands-on work throughout the PET value chain provides a solid foundation for its new and ongoing member driven initiatives.

06/09/2026

📢 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.

NAPCOR's new 2024 PET Thermoform Market Analysis found that PET thermoform recovery in the US and Canada reached a record 264 million pounds in 2024, while the average use of post-consumer recycled PET in new thermoforms declined from 18% to 12%.

⚠️Why? Our first standalone and fifth annual thermoform analysis explores the market, infrastructure, and policy realities shaping PET thermoform circularity today.

PET (look for the #1 in the triangle) thermoform packaging—used for fresh produce, bakery items, prepared foods, beverages, and countless other products—plays an important role in protecting food, reducing waste and emissions, and delivering products safely and efficiently.

As policymakers and industry leaders look to strengthen recycling systems and advance circularity, understanding the realities of PET thermoform recovery and end-market demand has never been more important. Read the press release and learn more: https://napcor.com/news/2024-pet-thermoform-market-analysis-press-release

06/05/2026

As comes to a close, one question keeps coming up: 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐄𝐓 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 𝒀𝒆𝒔.

PET plastic, the material used in most bottled water and many food containers, is fully recyclable, and new products can be made using up to 100% recycled PET content.

In fact, PET is the most recycled plastic in the world because it is:
♻️ Widely accepted in curbside recycling programs
♻️ Supported by established collection and recycling infrastructure
♻️ Recycled into new bottles, packaging, clothing, carpet, strapping, and more
♻️ Designed to support a circular economy (it’s made to be remade)

The challenge is not whether PET recycling works. It does.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐄𝐓 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. That means improving access to recycling, strengthening domestic recycling infrastructure, and supporting policies grounded in real-world circularity. That’s what we need to do .

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “1” inside the triangle on a bottle or package, 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒕. Millions of people already do—and we appreciate you!—helping give PET another life and keeping valuable material in the circular economy.

Learn more about PET recycling and circularity: https://positivelypet.org/recycling/

06/05/2026

💡 Let’s bust a common myth this :

❌ Myth: Plastic bottles are the most common form of litter.
✅ 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓: Discarded cigarette butts are consistently identified as the world’s most common form of litter, followed by food containers and wrappers. Plastic bottles (of all kinds)—despite often being used as the image accompanying stories about plastic pollution—are a distant third.

That doesn’t mean litter isn’t a serious issue. It is. But solving it requires 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 that keep recyclable materials like PET bottles in the circular economy rather than in the environment.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic is designed to be recycled, meaning it’s very literally 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞. PET bottles are widely recyclable and among the most commonly collected plastics in curbside recycling programs across the US.

♻️The bottom line? 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #1, #𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐓𝐡𝐞1!

👉Keep it going – separate myth from fact here: https://positivelypet.org/myths-and-facts/

06/05/2026

🌎 This , we all share the same goal: 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. But achieving that goal requires solutions grounded in science, infrastructure, and real-world outcomes, not simply replacing one material with another or banning highly recyclable materials like PET plastic (look for the #1 in the triangle on the bottle/package).

In our article for POLITICO, NAPCOR outlined three practical steps to help end plastic waste:
♻️ Improve collection systems
♻️ Strengthen domestic recycling infrastructure
♻️ Support policies that advance circularity and keep valuable materials in use

PET plastic—the material used for most bottled beverages and many food containers—is lightweight, FDA-approved for food contact, and the world’s most recycled plastic. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞. Replacing PET with less sustainable alternatives or removing it from the marketplace altogether can unintentionally increase environmental impacts, food waste, transportation emissions, and resource use.

𝐈𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Read the POLITICO article and learn more about practical solutions to end plastic waste here: https://napcor.com/end-plastic-waste/

06/05/2026

🌎 This , 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐎𝐔, and the millions of people who make a difference by every day.

Recycling can feel confusing sometimes. Rules vary from one community to another, and too often, consumers feel blamed for a system that isn’t always easy to navigate. But the truth is: 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, and people are trying. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 👀🙏🫶

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲: every time you see the “1” inside the triangle ♻️ on a bottle or package, that means it’s PET plastic and fully recyclable. PET is accepted in virtually all recycling programs in the US.

And thanks to generations of consumers putting those bottles and containers into the recycling bin, PET has become the world’s most recycled plastic.

That progress deserves recognition. 🙌

So today, we celebrate everyone doing their best to recycle right, support circularity, and keep valuable materials, like PET plastic, in use and out of landfills and waterways, where they never belong. 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭. Thank you for what you do .

Learn more about recycling PET at https://positivelypet.org/.

06/02/2026

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐄𝐓 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 (𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 #1 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞)?

As the material used to package most water, soda, and other beverages, not to mention salad dressing, cooking oils, peanut butter, shampoo, hand soap, mouthwash, and more, PET plastic is part of everyday life—yet it's misunderstood by many. In our very first blog post, we tackled the questions we get time and again, such as:

♻️ Are all plastics the same?
♻️ Are plastic bottles recyclable?
♻️ Are they safe?
♻️Are they bad for the environment?
♻️ What does the "1" inside the recycling triangle mean?

Whether you're a consumer, policymaker, journalist, or sustainability professional, this quick read covers the basics of what PET is, how it supports recycling and circularity, and why it remains the world's most widely recycled plastic.

Read the article here: https://positivelypet.org/blog/the-six-most-common-questions-about-pet-plastic/ And if you'd like more facts, research, and insights about PET plastic, 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐄𝐓 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 to receive future posts directly in your inbox.

06/01/2026

We will be at Innovation Forum's Sustainable Packaging Innovation Forum in Chicago (October 27-28, 2026).

We’ll explore how leading businesses implement circular design principles, from product development and supply chain operations to building new habits and experiences for consumers.

Will you join us? Register and save 10% with the discount code NAPCOR10 during registration.

Register here: https://innovationforum.co.uk/conferences/sustainable-packaging/register/

05/27/2026

A recent editorial by Plastics News reflects an important shift in the conversation around PET ( #1 plastic) and circularity.

For years, the focus has largely centered on sustainability goals and recycled-content targets. Those goals remain critical—but growing attention is now being paid to the systems required to make circularity work in practice: 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

The editorial recognized the efforts of both NAPCOR and The Association of Plastic Recyclers in raising awareness about the mounting pressures facing the US PET recycling system, including facility closures, flat collection rates, global market volatility, and rising imports of recycled material.

As demand for recycled content continues to rise, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

Read more in our latest blog post: https://napcor.com/blog/growing-focus-on-pet-recycling-realities/

05/21/2026

Public conversations about microplastics and packaging matter — but they should remain grounded in scientific rigor, context, and evidence-based conclusions.

We appreciated seeing NAPCOR Executive Director Laura Stewart’s letter to the editor published in The Washington Post, responding to recent discussions about PET plastic and bottled water.

The letter highlights several important points:
♻️ PET plastic (look for the #1 in the triangle) is one of the world’s most studied food-contact materials
♻️ PET continues to be approved by major global regulators, including the FDA, EFSA, and Health Canada
♻️ Microplastics research is still evolving, and globally standardized testing methods do not yet exist
♻️ PET is the world’s most recycled plastic and plays an important role in the circular economy

As discussions around packaging sustainability and human health continue, it’s important to distinguish between emerging hypotheses, preliminary findings, and established scientific consensus.

Read more here: https://positivelypet.org/blog/washington-post-publishes-napcor-perspective/

05/20/2026

🧪 Public conversations about microplastics and beverage packaging are growing, and those conversations matter. But they should 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐫, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

Our latest blog post explores why PET plastic (look for the #1 in the triangle) remains one of the most studied, widely recycled, and regulator-approved food-contact materials worldwide, while also highlighting the importance of science-led policymaking and stronger recycling systems. ♻️

🌎🔬As research evolves, it’s critical to distinguish between emerging hypotheses and demonstrated risk, and to recognize that not all plastics, materials, or packaging systems are the same.

Read more: https://positivelypet.org/blog/the-need-for-science-led-solutions/

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Middleton, WI

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+16088267447

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https://napcor.com/contact-us/

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