The U.S. recycling rate for PET plastic bottles fell to 29.0% in 2025 from 30.2% in 2024, while recycled plastic made up a record 22.9% of the average U.S. bottle, the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) said on November 11, 2026. Imports supplied a record 39.1% of recycled PET used in the U.S. and Canada.
Key points
- U.S. PET bottle collection fell 3.6% to 1,821 million pounds in 2025, the second annual decline in a row, according to NAPCOR.
- Bottles available for recycling rose 0.6% to 6,286 million pounds, so the recycling rate dropped to 29.0%.
- Average recycled content in U.S. bottles rose to a record 22.9% from a revised 20.7% in 2024.
- Imported recycled PET (rPET) made up a record 39.1% of rPET used in the U.S. and Canada, up from 35.5%.
- The North American collection rate for the U.S., Canada and Mexico fell to 36.0% from 39.2%.
What the 2025 PET recycling report shows
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. PET bottle recycling rate | 30.2% | 29.0% |
| U.S. bottles collected for recycling | 1,889 million lb | 1,821 million lb |
| U.S. PET bottles available for recycling | 6,248 million lb | 6,286 million lb |
| Average recycled content in U.S. bottles | 20.7% (revised) | 22.9% |
| Imported share of rPET used in the U.S. and Canada | 35.5% | 39.1% |
| North American bottle collection rate | 39.2% | 36.0% |
Source: NAPCOR, November 11, 2026.
NAPCOR says 69% of the PET recycled in the U.S. and Canada in 2025 went into new bottles, the highest share on record. Reclaimers in the two countries also processed a record 226 million pounds of PET thermoforms, such as clamshells and trays. Total thermoform collection, including material exported for recovery, fell to 247 million pounds from 264 million pounds as exports declined.
Why more recycled PET is coming from abroad
Total rPET sales to U.S. and Canadian end markets rose about 6% from 2024, and all of that growth came from imports, according to NAPCOR. Tom Busard, chair of NAPCOR’s board and an executive at bottle maker Plastipak, said the industry has had to “resort to more imported rPET” because domestic reclamation capacity shrank.
Resource Recycling reported that reclamation capacity posted a net loss for the year even though new plants opened in Texas and Indianapolis. Packaging Dive links the rise in imports to a wave of domestic reclaimer closures.
Lighter bottles also affect the numbers. According to Packaging Dive, Coca-Cola’s preform changes took many of its bottles from 21 grams down to 18.5 grams. Lauren Laibach, NAPCOR’s director of data services, told the outlet that very light bottles can be lost at sorting facilities and never reach a PET bale.
Why it matters
NAPCOR’s figures mean roughly 4,465 million pounds of PET bottles available for recycling in the U.S. in 2025 were not collected. The group notes that the North American rate has stayed above 30% every year since it began tracking it in 2019, the level the Ellen MacArthur Foundation set to show that a material is recycled in practice and at scale. The U.S.-only rate of 29.0% is below that 30% mark.
For brands, the report shows rising demand for recycled plastic meeting a shrinking domestic supply. NAPCOR executive director Laura Stewart called for harmonized extended producer responsibility programs, expanded deposit return systems and federal incentives for recycling infrastructure. Our overview of global environmental issues covers plastic waste in a wider context, and our guide to environmental technology examples explains how recycling systems work.
Other perspectives
Weight-based recycling figures may understate collection when bottles get lighter. Akshatha Bhat, a senior associate at Closed Loop Partners, said at an October 29 recycling conference session that data reported in tons or pounds “may not be fully representative of what’s getting collected,” according to Packaging Dive.
What’s next
The full 2025 PET Recycling Report, NAPCOR’s 31st annual edition, is available for purchase from the association. It draws on surveys, interviews with market participants, import records and NAPCOR’s own analysis.
Sources
- NAPCOR Releases 2025 PET Recycling Report, Highlighting Record Recycled PET Use in Bottles and Declining Bottle Recycling Rates — NAPCOR, November 11, 2026
- PET recycling rate fell in 2025, but rPET content in bottles increased — Packaging Dive, November 11, 2026
- PET imports reshape US markets as demand grows — Resource Recycling, November 11, 2026
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